Better Be Ravenclaw!
by Riley Shi-Anne
Summary: "Better be… Ravenclaw!" The silence that spread through the great hall was palpable. No one said a word. Even the professors looked shocked. They all stared at the tiny figure on the wooden chair, dressed in dark Hogwarts robes. Even as the deep purple trim and Ravenclaw crest appeared, the silent shock and awe remained.
1. Chapter 1

"Better be… Ravenclaw!"

The silence that spread through the great hall was palpable. No one said a word. Even the professors looked shocked. They all stared at the tiny figure on the wooden chair, dressed in dark Hogwarts robes. Even as the deep purple trim and Ravenclaw crest appeared, the shock and awe remained.

Then the whispers started. 'A Malfoy in Ravenclaw?'

'It's a mistake!'

'No doubt some dirty Slytherin trick!'

'Who knew Malfoy had a sister?'

'She doesn't really look like a Malfoy.'

It was partially true. Lyra Gemini Malfoy didn't look like a typical Malfoy. Instead of the trademark blond locks, Lyra's hair was dark. Her curs cascaded down her back in soft spirals that bounced lightly every time she moved. And instead of the icy blue, near silver, eyes, Lyra's eyes were the colour of storm clouds just before a terrible storm. They seemed to see everything and nothing.

She was far from what anyone expected. Earlier in the evening, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry, had gotten up from his usual chair and stood in front of the students. This was a bit unusual but not odd. See, this all happened before the sorting of new students but everyone knew the headmaster was a bit barmy.

"Students!" he had said in his usual jovial manner, "We're going to welcome a very special student; a transfer student all the way from the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic."

No one could have guessed that she would be a Malfoy and simultaneously destroy whatever image most of the students had in their heads of what a female Malfoy would be like.

Professor McGonagall removed the sorting hat from Lyra's head. Storm grey eyes danced around the hall until they settled on the Slytherin table. Then, those eyes turned away, dismissing whatever she had found there and turned to the house of ravens. With a single quirk of her lips, she slipped gracefully from the stool and sauntered over to the table.

There was a cheer from the table as students made space for their newest member. All the while, a curious green gaze followed Lyra's every move.

"She's pretty enough but who needs another Malfoy?" Ron Weasley, a tall red head with freckles and gangly limbs said around and entire turkey leg.

The sort of new students had come and gone. Give or take a few, each House gained a respectable number of students.

Hermione Granger, a slightly shorter, bushy haired girl with a slight overbite frowned and smacked him with a book she was reading.

"'Mione!" the read head whined.

"Chew with your mouth closed and don't talk with your mouth full, Ronald!"

Harry Potter, by far the shortest of the trio, snorted quietly and turned his attention back to the Ravenclaw table. While his two friends squabbled, semi-good naturedly, Harry himself chose to study the newest edition to the Hogwarts family.

She was actually shorter than him, which secretly pleased Harry, and could tell that she was a year younger than him. She was also very pretty. When those deep grey eyes looked up and found his green ones, a blush flushed his face and he quickly dropped his gaze. He peaked up again just in time to see a smile spread across her face before she was drawn into a conversation with one of the upper years. Ravenclaws were a curious bunch.

He watched various emotions flit across her face because her face became a mask of a smile that meant everything and nothing. It was pleasant but it didn't light up her face nor make her eyes shine the way the smile that she showed him did.

He jumped when Hermione jabbed him in the side with a scowl. He turned his attention back to his friends. With a small frown, he rubbed his side.

"There was no reason for that, Hermione." He said.

She had the grace to look mildly apologetic before she frowned. "I called you four times, Harry. What had you zoned out so much?"

Harry lowered his voice and leaned in closer to Hermione. The Great Hall was loud and boisterous with students catching up and eating but still, it wouldn't do for anyone to hear that he had an interest in a Malfoy.

"The new girl, Malfoy's sister. I didn't know he even had a sister."

Hermione leaned in as well, voice low. "I don't think anyone did. It's almost like the Malfoy's didn't want anyone to know."

Harry glanced at the Slytherin table. Draco Malfoy, normally the centre of attention, sat in his seat, rigid and angry, a deep scowl marring his features. His unblinking stare set permanently on the Ravenclaw table. His housemates and friends seemed to be avoiding the pouty blonde. Only Blaise Zabini, the tall, dark, soft-spoken, half Italian seemed amused by the turn of events. Occasionally, the blond would turn and snap at him, but it only caused his amusement to grow. Even Pansy Parkinson, Malfoy's ever-present shadow, thought it prudent to find a seat further down the table, far away from the seething ball of blond ire.

Harry nudged Hermione and she turned to look as well.

"I can't imagine Malfoy's very happy."

Harry smiled a little. "No, I can't imagine he is." The two dissolved into gales of laughter.

Ginevra 'Ginny' Weasley frowned from beside Ron. "What's so funny? Care to share with the rest of us?"

Harry and Hermione calmed down a little. With lots of breaths and laughter breaks, they tried to explain but after several attempts failed, they collapsed in laughter once again. This time, they had a very confused audience.

The rest of the meal went on without much fuss. But, before the students were allowed to leave, the headmaster stood up once again, this time to introduce Remus Lupin as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. Then the students were dismissed.

Harry wasn't one hundred percent sure but, he could have sworn he heard the twins, Fred and George Weasley, taking bets on how long the new professor was going to last at Hogwarts.


	2. Chapter 2

Believe it or not, this was not how Lyra had planned to spend the new school year. Between babysitting her pride filled older brother, even though he thought it was the reverse, and keeping an eye on her scheming father, the youngest Malfoy would, truthfully, rather be back in France dealing with catty back handed compliments and cleverly thought out yet manipulative marriage proposals.

After being sorted into Ravenclaw, she thought her contact with the other Malfoy would be limited. Obviously, she was mistaken. A frown flitted across her pretty face for a split second before Lyra managed to school her features into a polite and cordial smile.

Her thoughts did not match.

' _How dare he!_ ' her mind screamed

Instead, she looked up at her older brother, Draco Lucius Malfoy. They stood in the hallway just outside the Great Hall, surrounded by Theodore Nott and Blaise Zabini.

"To what do I owe this honour?" her voice was mild but her eyes told each and everyone one of them exactly what she thought of their little display.

Each of them, especially Draco, flinched back. A flash of satisfaction trilled through her.

Further off around the Corner, Harry Potter stood stock still against the wall between two suits of armour and out of sight. He strained and listened for a response. He hadn't meant to intrude on the family moment, he really hadn't. He was simply going to the library to find Hermione. That's all. It wasn't that he didn't trust Malfoy with his own sister. It's not like he had a crush on her or anything. He was only thirteen for Merlin's sake!

"I'm sorry, Lyra. Father insisted I … that is, we speak to you. He wanted me to … introduce you to Nott … I mean Theodore here." Draco said.

Lyra's expression closed off completely. She turned away from Draco and regarded the only other blond in the corridor. He was tall. His hair wasn't the pure almost white blond that the Malfoy family was known for. Instead, it was a dirty blond almost brown, really. His eyes were a nice, solid dark blue. His nose was a bit too narrow and his ears seemed too large for his face but Lyra knew that he would grow into those features. After all, he was only thirteen.

The smile slid from her face. It left her face still pretty but now instead of being inviting, it was cold and disdainful. She gave him a deep curtsey and bowed her neck. For his part, Theodore floundered a bit before he straightened up and bowed low at the waist, one arm in front on his stomach and the other behind on his back.

"Lyra Gemini Malfoy. Consider us introduced." She said as she rose from the curtsey.

She turned to walk away. Her mind raced with anger. How dare her father try to marry her off and allow Draco to remain free and unattached?

Before she could disappear around the corner, she caught sight of Harry, from where he huddled. She raised an eyebrow at him. He put his finger to his lips and shook his head. Her eyes softened, and her lips twitched. This could be fun. The boy was obviously hiding and didn't want the Slytherins in the corridor to spot him.

She glanced at the scarf around his neck. Only a Gryffindor would be so brash and only a Gryffindor or a Hufflepuff would get caught.

Theodore cleared his throat after a nudge from Draco. Lyra stopped and turned back, irritated.

"Yes?" It wasn't that her voice was cold. It simply lacked warmth. She wanted exactly nothing to do with him.

"Might I escort you to your dorm?" For his part, Theodore seemed bored and uninterested as well. It was like he was forced to participate when he would much rather be doing something else.

Lyra regarded him for a few moments. "No." she said. "But you can direct me to the owlery."

Draco winced again. Blaise had maintained a stoic disposition throughout the meeting but hearing Lyra rebuff Theodore's attempt to get to know her made him crack. He tried to hide his laughter behind a series of wracking coughs but it didn't fool anyone.

For his part, Theodore didn't seem too broken up about it. He accepted her rebuff with a light nod of his head and gave her the directions she asked for. Then he turned and walked away. Blaise gave up trying to hide his laughter and followed Theodore out of sight, his laughter trailing behind him.

Once they were gone, Lyra attempted to leave once more. This time she was stopped by Draco's gentle yet firm grasp on her arm.

"Father will not be pleased about this." He said.

"No, I'm quite sure he won't be."

"He's doing this to protect you."

"No. He's doing this to protect what's left of the Malfoy name after he and Grandfather Abraxas all but ruined it."

"Father just wants to keep you removed from what's coming, sister!"

"In case you're incapable of recalling, brother, I was pretty far removed in France! And a Nott? Really? That doesn't scream removed, to me."

The two siblings stared each other down for a long time. Finally, it was Draco that turned away first. He shook his head.

"You don't understand what's coming." His voice was so soft that Harry had to strain to hear him.

"Probably not, thanks to my being removed and all."

Draco let out a bark of laughter and put his hand over his mouth. Then he shook his head. "I've missed you."

Lyra smiled, soft and light. "I know." She said.

Draco walked away. Lyra watched him go and shook her head. He wanted so badly to be like their father, Lucius Abraxas Malfoy. Even when they were children before Lyra went to France and Draco started Hogwarts, Draco always tried to emulate Lucius. From the way he walked to the way he talked. Once, when they were about eight and seven respectively, Draco had found a stick and used liked their father used his snake head cane. In fact, Lyra was pretty sure that if their mother Narcissa Malfoy nee Black, had not insisted on cutting his hair, Draco would have worn it just like their father's.

Once Draco was out of sight, Lyra called out. "Alright. They're gone. You can come out now."

Then she waited. And waited. And waited. Then she got tired of waiting. "Fine." She said. "If you wont come here, I'm coming there."

She started forward, towards the wall. Then Harry came out. He was short, taller than her but still short with messy dark brown almost black hair and pretty, green eyes encased in hideous round glassed.

Lyra fought the urge to try and smooth his hair down and fix his clothing. He looked a little scraggly, like his clothing was a bit too big for him and yet there was something endearingly charming about him and she wanted to coo at him.

"Why were you spying on us, boy?"

He frowned at her. "My name is Harry Potter. Not boy."

Huh. So this was the savior of the wizarding world. The boy-who-lived. He didn't look like much. She regarded him again. The seconds ticked by. Finally she nodded.

"Alright then, Harry Potter. Why were you spying on us?"

He shuffled a bit. "I wasn't spying. Not really. This is the way to the Library. I was going to find Hermione. Then you and your bother and his friends were talking and I didn't want to intrude. Plus, you brother and I don't really get along. Are you really going to marry Theodore Nott someday? Aren't you a little young to be thinking of marriage already?"

Lyra's eyebrows reached her hairline and before she could stop herself, she collapsed into giggles. Harry watched in awe as Lyra leaned against the wall and laughed. His eyes traced the way her eyes closed and her lips widened. The way her curls bounced and the way her face flushed and her teeth shined were permanently burned into his mind.

Then he realised that she was laughing at him and he frowned and waited for her to recover. When she did, she had to wipe tears from the corner of her eyes.

"You're very funny Harry Potter."

She stopped and stared at him, particularly his face and hair. She reached out a hand and fingered the locks.

"You said your name was Potter, correct? Your father wouldn't happen to be James Potter, son of Charlus Potter and Dorea Potter nee Black, would it?" she asked. It was a trick question. She knew all of this already. Unlike her brother who enjoyed their father's company, Lyra was more partial to their mother. Where as Draco learned the subtle art of manipulation, Lyra learned family history and tact.

Harry frowned in confusion. "I don't know about his parents but James Potter was my dad."

Lyra made a non-committal sound in the back of her throat and put her hand out to Harry, palm down, formal. He simply stared at it. She sighed.

"You're meant to take my hand." She said.

He took her hand but the way one would when shaking hands. She snorted, inelegant and impatient.

"Not like that." She fixed his hands to where he was holding hers but the way a gentleman would hold a lady's hand when greeting her formally. While Harry was holding her hand, Lyra executed a deep curtsy.

"Lyra Gemini Malfoy. A pleasure."

She rose from the curtsey and frowned again. "You're meant to bow. Touch my hand to your forehead and introduce yourself. Full name."

Harry followed her instructions. "Harold James Potter … um … Nice to meet you?"

Lyra sighed and pulled her hand away. She frowned. "Has no one taught you any manners?"

Harry frowned as well. "My manners are just fine."

Lyra snorted, inelegant and amused. "For a muggle."

Harry felt himself crack a smile. Lyra turned to walk away. She even made it a few steps when Harry called back to her.

"Um, Malfoy?" he called, voice hesitant.

She stopped and turned back to him, curious. "Yes?"

"Um. The owlery is the other way." He said pointing in the opposite direction she was headed.

Lyra gifted him with a soft smile, turned and sauntered down the way he pointed.


	3. Chapter 3

Harry was confused. Yes, he had heard about Sirius Black, the notorious mass murderer apparently out for his blood. But that wasn't what confused him. No. The cause of his confusion sat at the Ravenclaw table with her head bent together with the odd ball Luna Lovegood. Harry was confused because she wasn't anything her older brother.

Harry glanced over to the Slytherin table at Draco Malfoy and his cronies. Most people wouldn't pick up on it but the Slytherins had been off since the arrival of the youngest Malfoy. Sure, they were still mean, but their bark had no bite to it. It seemed like they were all cowed by the little dark spitfire.

It was morning. The first day of classes and the Great Hall was alive and full of life yet the topic of conversation, which Harry was grateful that for once it wasn't him, was Lyra Malfoy.

Who knew Ravenclaws were such gossips, but the prevailing theory was that Lyra had something in her blood that made her less than pure, so the Malfoys shipped her off to keep her out of the public eye.

Based off the conversation he had heard last night, that wasn't the case. The sudden screeching of owls shook him from his thoughts and he looked up. The owls came swooping in from the open window and soared majestically to their owners. Errol, right on schedule, flew into the scrambled eggs and up-ended quite a few goblets of pumpkin juice.

"Bloody bird's a menace!" Ron cried as he grabbed the letter addressed to him and the newspaper from the bird.

Harry made to turn back to his thoughts when Hedwig flew in. She glided down to him and nipped his hear. He stroked her feathers with a fond smile.

"What do you have for me, girl?" he asked her.

Hedwig shook herself and held out her leg. The package was large and seemed a little heavy. Ron looked over and, in his usual manner, brought attention to it.

"Bloody hell! What could that be? You never get any packages!" Ron said.

"Thank you, Ron. I needed a reminder." He said in a dry voice.

Sarcasm seemed to fly over his head because Ron answered, "S'okay, mate."

Harry checked to see whom the package was from. There was so indication of the sender. He looked at the head table, but all the professors were deep in conversation. Even Severus Snape, as sour and cranky as he could get, seemed less moody while speaking with the newest edition to the teaching staff, Remus Lupin.

He glanced at Hermione, but she shrugged her shoulders. "If it's dangerous, or anything that can be used to cause harm, we'll report it to Professor McGonagall."

Harry nodded at his ever-sensible friend. He reached forward and opened the package. It was books. Five books to be exact; two on pureblood etiquette, one on the lineage of every family in the Wizengamot and two on rites and rituals of the wizarding world.

He managed to hide the smile from his friends but only because they were too busy staring at the contents of the package to look at his face. Harry managed to school his features by the time Ron picked up one of the books and examined.

"Who sends someone books?" he questioned. As usual, he had taken a bite of something and his mouth was full. He sprayed food across the table. Hermione frowned at him.

"Do not speak with your mouth full, Ronald. Besides, books are a perfectly acceptable gift. But who sent them to you and why these ones?" She asked.

Hermione was smart. She picked up on the significance of the books but not the reason why they would be sent to Harry himself. Heck, Harry knew who had sent them. It was the why that boggled his mind.

He snuck a glance over at the Ravenclaw table. Lyra was no longer speaking with Luna. Instead she was watching him. Slowly and very deliberately, she picked up her goblet and raised it to him with a small smile. Harry himself answered with a small smile of his own.

Hermione Granger was not stupid. No. In fact, if one were to ask her professors, she was the brightest and most brilliant witch of the current age, rivalled only by Lilly Potter herself. So, it was no wonder she noticed the small exchange between Lyra Malfoy and her best friend Harry Potter.

Hermione knew that Harry was special. He was the boy who lived. He was also a very talented Wizard when he put his mind to it and he could be very bright if only he studied more. She glanced between the Ravenclaw table and her best friend and the wheels in her head started turning.

She was almost positive that Lyra had sent the package, but the real question was why? Why send books on pureblood etiquette and lineage and rituals? What did she have to gain by educating Harry in those ways? Did she hope to sway him to the dark side? Was it something more?

Hermione frowned. This was a puzzle. And she loved puzzles.

"Hey, Harry?" she asked. He jumped. She smiled.

"Yeah, 'Mione?"

"Do you think I could borrow those books when you're done with them?" Hermione asked. She did want to get her hands on those books, maybe learn some more about the Wizarding World. She hoped to stay after the graduated, maybe get an apprenticeship or even a job at the Ministry.

Harry stared down at the books on the table for a long time and for a while, Hermione's spirits dropped; she thought that he was going to refuse. Then, he picked one of the etiquette books up and handed it to her.

"How about we read them together? That way, you don't have to wait for me to be done. I know you're a bibliophile." He told her with a smile.

Hermione grinned at him and snatched the book and immediately started to read. Harry did the same thing. Both of them immersed themselves in the rules surrounding the Wizarding World, things no one had ever bothered to teach them.


	4. Chapter 4

The days went by and there was not a moment that Lyra Malfoy didn't miss France. The curriculum at Hogwarts was laughably easy and the children, remarkably stupid. The only upsides were her brother, the few friends she had made and Harry Potter. While she didn't get to speak to him after their initial encounter, she still got to watch him from time to time. Sometimes he seemed horribly mundane and then other times, she could see why he was the chosen one, the saviour, and she could see how he became the-boy-who-lived.

While English was her first language, Lyra grew up at one of the many Malfoy chateaus in France under the care of a branch family in the Malfoy line. Her parents saw fit to keep her in the dark about a lot of the goings on of England. But, Lyra was still a Malfoy and what a Malfoy wants, a Malfoy gets. So, she took it upon herself to learn what she could. Everything else she learned once in England.

Now she was at Hogwarts, the very place neither of her parents had wanted her to come. They had considered not sending Draco to Hogwarts either but the optics of not allowing the Malfoy heir to attend the most prestigious wizarding world would not have been good.

It really and truly came as a bit of a shock when, while walking through the corridors of the school one day, none other than Hermione Granger, friend to Harry Potter and one third of the so-called 'golden trio' approached her.

"Um, Lyra Malfoy?" she had asked.

Lyra turned and raised an eyebrow. Granger looked so very nervous. Then Lyra's eyebrows shot to her hairline when the muggle born gave her a very formal greeting complete with a curtsey and the lowering of her eyes and neck.

"Greetings. I am Hermione Jean Granger." She said as she rose from her curtsey.

Lyra simply stared at her for a long time before she bowed in return.

"Lyra Gemini Malfoy."

"I know that we do not know one another but I have a few questions about the book by Johann Halsey." Hermione said.

Lyra's eyes lit up then she frowned. "Which book?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "The one you sent Harry about Wizarding Etiquette?"

A smile lit, Lyra's eyes. "Go on."

The two girls walked together.

"Well the book talked about legitimizing half-bloods and recognizing muggle-borns. I was hoping you would be able to explain further?"

Lyra nodded. There was a reason she was a Ravenclaw. She loved knowledge. Yes, she had all the traits of a Slytherin, she was after all a Malfoy, but she loved a good book and she was intelligent, creative, and sensible; everything that a Ravenclaw ought to be.

"Well, legitimizing is simply a way to allow a child to become heir and thus inherit. My family had to legitimize both Draco and me. It's a ceremony that involves blood. When we were born they took each of us the Ministry, pricked our fingers and dropped our blood on the family parchment. Each pureblood family has one." Lyra said.

Hermione nodded, absorbing all the information being given to her.

"And recognizing muggle-borns?"

"That has more to do with the Sacred Twenty-eight. You know about them, right?"

Hermione nodded. "The Twenty-eight families in the British Isles still considered to be of Pure Blood in the 1930's."

It was Lyra's turn to nod. "Well, all you have to do is get a member to one of those families to essentially adopt you or take you one as their ward. It would raise your status."

"So hypothetically I'd no longer be a muggle-born?"

Lyra shook her head. "No. You'd still be a muggle-born, but you'd no longer be considered a mud-blood. Not quite a half-blood but up there. You wouldn't be considered impure because, for lack of better phrasing, you would have been taken in and educated on the correct procedures and behaviours befitting proper lady."

"Huh." Hermione said. "I've been sort of informally adopted by the Weasley's they're purebloods. Does that count?"

"Unfortunately, no. While still apart of the Sacred Twenty-eight, the Weasley family are not considered upstanding Purebloods. However, if you really want to change your status, you might be able to talk Potter into adopting you or Longbottom or even Abbott." Lyra said.

Hermione scrunched up her nose and face with thought. Lyra fought the urge to smooth out her forehead so that the other girl wouldn't get wrinkles.

"The Potters aren't apart of the Sacred 28." Hermione said with surety.

"No, they're not but Harry Potter is the-boy-who-lived and his grandmother was a member of the Sacred Twenty-eight being a Black. His great grandmother was a Rosier and his godfather was a Sirius Black who is still Lord Black and who bequeathed his belongings and all of his titles and status to none other than Harry Potter himself. Potter is your best bet, Granger. Neither Longbottom nor Abbott have titles other and heir. Potter does." Lyra said.

Hermione narrowed her eye. "Why do you know all of this?"

Lyra shrugged her shoulders, movement so graceful and elegant that Hermione stared for a few moments. "I'm a Ravenclaw. I like to know things. Plus, any knowledge is good knowledge. You know this."

Hermione shook her head. "I meant about Harry. Why do you care?"

Lyra frowned. "I don't, not really."

"You must care a little bit to go out of your way to find out about his family history."

"But, I didn't go out of my way." She regarded Hermione with a cool stare. "Do you know why most Purebloods hate or at least severely dislike muggle-borns? Hint. It has absolutely nothing to do with blood."

Hermione thought about it for a bit. If not blood, when why hate all muggle-borns with such a passion? She shook her head.

"Okay, I give. Why do they hate us so much?"

Lyra shook her head, her curls bouncing. "Unlike you, the rest of your kin aren't as studious. When we're children, etiquette, customs, history, and family legacies are drilled even before we can fully understand. It's who we are. Some muggle-borns come and they're like you. They want to know everything they can, and most are adopted by pureblood and taught but most of them that come aren't like you. They don't care about our history, our culture. They don't care that it is considered rude to simply but into a conversation or that gentleman must ask permission of the oldest male relative around before speaking to certain ladies unless the lady seeks you out first. They don't care or our holidays or traditions or even our rituals and beliefs. But you, Granger, you care. You want to know. I admire that. If not for my father and brother, I'd adopt you myself."

Hermione smiled despite the, at times, harsh words. Thinking back on it, there were times when she had been rude without meaning to be. She glanced down at the book in her hands and frowned.

"Why isn't this book mandatory for muggle-born students and half-bloods raised in the muggle world?" Hermione asked.

Lyra regarded the talented witch for a few long seconds then she shrugged. "I could tell you a very pretty story with some big words, but the truth is, I simply don't know. Honestly, it would make things so much easier."

The two young women lapsed into a companionable silence unaware of the angry silver eyes watching them from the outer courtyard.


	5. Chapter 5

Lyra knew it was only a matter to time before her brother approached her. After all, she had received no reply to the scathing and somewhat disrespectful letter she had sent home to her father earlier two weeks ago. It really and truly came as no shock when Draco Malfoy himself approached her. What was a shock, was that he had no one else with him.

"This is a surprise, brother." She said.

Draco scowled at her. "Is it? Must you insist on angering father? He's trying to keep you safe."

Lyra huffed. "I'm fine, Draco. I'm one of the top students in my year and I have not been cavorting with any unsavoury characters. Those things alone should show him I am more that capable of handling myself in Wizarding Britton."

"You've been cavorting with a mud-blood and with Potter! I know it was you who sent him those books." Lyra could almost see the steam coming out of his ears.

"You of all people should know his family history and you of all people should know how closely related he is to our family. Sirius Black, our second cousin, is his godfather. He, of all people should know of his family history. He should know about our culture and our customs and yet he acts like a muggle-born." Lyra said.

"And the mud-blood?" Draco asked. He already didn't like the answers he was getting.

"I have a feeling that Hermione Granger will be recognized by both the house of Potter and the house of Black very soon, possibly even this year."

Draco regarded his sister. She was a lot shorter than him and she always would be. While she was short, delicate wasn't a word that rang true. She was more compact with her dark, glossy curls, stormy grey eyes, plump red lips and gentle demeanour. In another year or so, Draco knew he would have to duel many a suitor to keep him away from his precious little sister.

He always knew it was a bad idea to send Lyra Malfoy to school in France. She was a sponge, absorbing everything. She was also too driven, determined and stubborn for a woman, at least in his very humble opinion. When Lyra Malfoy wanted something, she usually got it. When the Sorting Hat called out Ravenclaw whilst atop her head, Draco was surprised. His little sister was just as sly, sneaky, manipulative and vengeful as any Slytherin.

Draco had a feeling that Lucius Malfoy would be very proud of his daughter if he weren't so busy trying to mould her into the perfect pureblood wife for one of his cronies' sons.

He sighed. "How'd you come upon this news?"

Lyra smiled. "I might have let it slip that Granger could potentially gain status by approaching a member of the Sacred Twenty-eight and getting them to adopt her. I might have also told her that her best bet was with Potter since he was technically heir to both house Potter and house Black."

"I'll let father know you've been busy." He glanced at her once again. "Why are you so interested in Potter?"

His big brother was peeking out. If his sister had romantic designs on Potter, Draco would allow that to happen just as soon as he expressed his intent to court the mud-blood, Granger, so never.

"I don't know." And that was the truth. Draco scowled but left it at that. Then he left to go and get ready for the Quidditch match. Before he got to the door he turned.

"You should come to the Quidditch match." He said.

Lyra frowned. "I don't understand your obsession with that sport."

Draco laughed. "You should still come and watch me crush Potter."

In the end, Lyra did go, and she regretted it. It was cold and rainy. If not for warming charms and water repellent charms, she was pretty sure that she would be doing a fair impression of a drowned rat.

Still, she watched her brother soar and spin and drop in the sky even while the thunder crashed and lightening flashed. He looked truly happy.

Unwittingly, her eyes found Harry Potter with his messy hair and luminescent green eyes. He was in his element and Lyra found herself watching him feint and swoop all the while retraining herself from crying out when he dropped only to ascend once again with a silly grin on his face.

It all took a turn for the worst when the Dementors showed up. Apparently the-boy-who-lived didn't take too well to the creatures and he dropped like a stone. Lyra was a hairs breath away from pulling out her wand to catch him when the Headmaster himself casted the Arresto Momentum charm and stopped him from hitting the ground.

Lyra looked around and found her brother, the game suspended, on the ground surrounded by a group of Slytherins, laughing and making fun of the way Potter fell. She couldn't outright show her displeasure, but she was a little worried about the-boy-who-lived. After all, it wouldn't do for her investment to be ruined before it had time to mature.

(Insert break here)

The last thing Harry remembered was someone screaming and then pitch black. When he woke up, he was in the hospital wing. The murmur of voices drew his attention to the side of his bed where Lyra, Hermione and surprisingly Luna sat speaking in hushed tones over an open book.

Harry struggled to sit up, but Hermione was there with a hand on his chest.

"No. You need to rest." She said.

"Ron. Where?" he croaked out.

Hermione glanced over at Lyra and Luna who had continued their conversation. She lowered her voice. "He didn't want to be in the room with a slimy snake and Lyra's very persuasive."

"Ravenclaw." He said again, voice raw and achy.

"Yes, she's a Ravenclaw. Well, the whole school knows she's a Ravenclaw, she's top of her class in almost every subject. He was talking about her name." Hermione said. Harry was happy to call her a friend. She was so smart. He could only squeeze out a few words but she knew exactly what he was trying to say.

Harry turned his head from Hermione to Lyra and Luna who were now silent and watching him.

"Hey." He said.

Lyra raised an eyebrow at him but smiled moments later. She stood. "Get well soon." She nodded to them and left the room.

Hermione watcher her go with a smile. Harry looked curiously at Luna.

"Lyra is my only friend in Ravenclaw. She promised me I could make more friends outside of the house if I came with her, though, she told me not to tell anyone she said that." Luna's voice was light and airy. Her eyes were slightly unfocused.

Harry smiled a little. Despite Ron's misgivings, the youngest Malfoy was a breath of fresh air and a joy to be around. She was nice and sweet and helpful and one of the prettiest girls Harry had ever seen.

A thought struck him. He frowned. "Broom?"

Hermione and Luna glanced at one another and Harry knew that his day was about to get worse.


	6. Chapter 6

: AN – I don't know if you've picked up on it yet but I'm revamping the story in preparation for writing the new chapters. I've very sorry about the lack of updates lately but my computer that I've had all of my updates writing stuff on crashed and I sort of lost the will to write for a good long while. Slowly but surely, I'm getting back into the swing of things and I'm trying to get this story back, because I do enjoy writing it. Thanks for hanging in there and I promise I am going to finish this story. I don't know when because I teach during the day, but I am going to finish it. :

Ronald Billius Weasley was absolutely, positively livid. How dare Hermione take that filthy, slimy Slytherin's side over his? Couldn't she see that she was evil? She was a Malfoy! Not just any Malfoy, no, she was the younger sister of the bane of their collective existence, Draco Malfoy not to mention the daughter of Lucius Malfoy. She was evil just like them!

So, Ron fumed and paced up and down the Gryffindor common room, ranting and raving to anyone that would listen. Eventually, people, even his own sister, got tired of listening. Neville Longbottom took it upon himself to make it stop.

"Ron, no one's listening to you." He said in his quiet voice.

"But she's evil! Just like her brother and father!"

"That's just it, Ron. She's not like them. She's helpful and kind. Merlin, she's even pretty funny."

"It's a dirty Slytherin trick!"

Neville stayed quiet and went back to reading in his quiet corner. He wasn't about to get into it with Ron.

"…And then she had to go and give Harry those books!"

That was it. The book snapped shut. Neville stood and got in Ron's face until the taller red head backed up.

"This is beyond stupid school yard prejudices. You should have been the one to mention those books to him." Neville said.

"You could have done it as well." Ron said, tone petulant and body language sulky.

"You're his best friend and a pureblood. It was your duty, as soon as you found out that he was raised by muggles, to educate him on his rights and duties. Hannah and I thought you had done all of that and he, like your family, didn't care. If we had even dreamed that you didn't one of us would have approached him already. And don't even get me started on Hermione. She's better than that and you know it. I'm glad that Lyra Malfoy stepped in." Neville's voice was low but somehow, it carried throughout the common room.

Everything was quiet save for the crackle of the fire. The normally raucous and rambunctious Gryffindors were oddly silent, straining to listen to what Neville was saying.

"My parents don't believe in any of that stuff and neither do I. Its just pureblood supremacy disguised as history and culture. Harry wouldn't want to know about any of that. If I could just get him and Hermione to take a step back and look at that stuff…" Ron trailed off at the glare Neville levelled at him.

"Both your father and your mother's families are a part of the Sacred Twenty-eight."

"They've renounced that and the titles that go along with it."

"Luckily for Hannah, Harry and myself, our parents weren't that stupid or that selfish."

Ron's temper flared. "You having a go at my parents?"

Neville stood tall. "I'll have a go at anyone stupid enough to question the belief system that founded our world."

The two stared each other down. This would be the split all through Gryffindor House. There were quite a few purebloods and children whose parents followed the old ways and put a lot of stock in family lines and culture. There were also half-bloods and muggle-borns and those of more common ancestry who were recognized and thus given a place amongst the upper crust of society.

But, there were a few that felt as Ron and his family did. The Old Ways and all the old family histories, cultural practices and traditions were simply ways to push muggle-borns out and elevate purebloods and to a lesser extent, half-bloods, at least according to them. Ron followed his family's belief in the evil of those practices.

"I never took you for a pureblood supremacist, Neville." Ron's tone was scathing.

Neville returned to his seat and picked up his book. "And I always knew you were a bit daft. I just never realised how much."

With that, Neville opened his book and continued to read, ignoring any and all attempts from Ron to continue the conversation. And just like that, the line in Gryffindor house was drawn and there was no going back.

(Insert line here)

Unaware of the goings on of his own house, Harry Potter sat, sulking in the hospital wing, while Poppy Pomfrey puttered around, ignoring her irate patient. Hermione and Luna had both left leaving only Lyra to keep his company and she was no help. Instead she kept a single hand over her mouth, hiding her lips from his view.

She was laughing at him. Sure, no sound escaped but he could tell from the quiver of her shoulders and the shine to her eyes that she thought his predicament was hilarious.

"If all you're going to do is laugh, feel free to cut your visit short." He said, petulant.

It wasn't just that he was stuck in the hospital wing; that he could deal with. It wasn't even that a Malfoy was laughing at him. While an indignity, it was still one he could swallow. No. It was a combination of all those things and the single fact that his treasured broom, bereft of its rider, careened carelessly into the Whomping Willow and was then destroyed. His treasure was gone, and the Malfoy beauty had the gall to laugh at him.

"No need to be so rude, mister Potter." Madam Pomfrey said. "Miss Malfoy was simply keeping you company."

Harry's scowl deepened. "Well she doesn't have to be so happy about it."

Lyra dropped her hand. "I'm sorry. I won't laugh."

Harry looked at her. Her eyes were still shiny with suppressed laughter and her lips twitched. He shook his head.

"No use making a promise you can't keep. Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about recognition." He said.

Madam Pomfrey perked up. "About time, mister Potter. Many of us were hoping that you would recognize miss Granger!"

Harry frowned. "Why didn't anyone ever tell me, about any of this stuff."

It was the medi-witch's turn to frown. "Mister Weasley was your introduction to the Wizarding World. We'd all assumed that you would take the same path as the Weasleys. Nothing wrong with that of course."

"I don't understand." Harry said. He frowned harder.

"That is no surprise. You always seem to be a constant state of confusion." Lyra said with a smile to soften the words.

Sure, she was teasing him and the thought of her teasing him made Harry blush a little, he still didn't appreciate her calling him stupid. Yes, he was a little slow on the uptake at times, but he wasn't stupid. How do you know about things that you know nothing about? How do you know what questions to ask when you don't even know that the questions have answers let alone that there are questions to be asked in the first place? The answer? You don't. So, for the longest time, Harry didn't.

"I didn't know. I still don't know."

"I shouldn't laugh at your ignorance." Lyra said.

Harry bunched the bed sheets in his fists. "Why didn't Ron tell me? He's my best friend. I had a right to know!"

Lyra fought herself. On the one hand, she disliked the Weasleys just as much as the rest of her family. On the other hand, her dislike of them was more on principal rather than out of anything personal.

She pursed her lips and sighed. "Don't get too upset at your Weasley."

"He kept my heritage from me! I don't know all that much about my parents and he knew that! Anything that would bring me closer to them, to my family, I would…" He trailed off, looked down and away from Lyra, and took a deep breath.

"Talk to your Weasley." She stood.

Harry looked up. "Wait! I still want to know about Recognition!"

Lyra nodded. "Later. When you're better."

"Why are you helping me?"

Lyra smiled. "Can't I be doing this from the goodness of my heart?"

"I mean no offense but you're a Malfoy. You don't do things from the goodness of your hearts."

"Maybe I'm different."

"You are different but you're not doing this from the goodness of your heart. You stand to gain something. What is it?"

Lyra remained silent for a long time. Madame Pomfrey had long since left them. The hospital wing was quiet. That hush continued for quite a while until finally, Lyra responded.

"You're smarter than people give you credit for."

"Are you admitting to something?"

Lyra walked closer to the bed, mischief and humour shining in her eyes. She placed both hands on either side of Harry and leaned in. He froze and watched her. She moved until their noses were pressed together and gave him an Eskimo kiss.

"I do want something from you, Harry Potter."

The dark-haired Malfoy stood up and walked away. Harry watched her walk away and touched his nose where hers had brushed him. She had been close enough to kiss but Harry had just sat there, immobilized. A slow smile spread across his face.


	7. Chapter 7

After his stint in the hospital wing, Harry sat in the common room pouting. It was a full house today and he had just been informed that he could not participate in the Hogsmeade outing with the rest of his peers because he couldn't get his relatives to sign off on his permission slip. Of course, when Hermione had called him out on his pouting, he maintained that men to not pout to which Hermione said he wasn't a man yet. He responded that he was a manly man, but Hermione calmly pointed out that his height dictated otherwise and that she was taller.

His sulking increased after that. Then Ron entered the common room and things went from bad to worse.

"I just don't understand why you're talking to her and hanging out with her! She's a Malfoy!" Ron screamed.

Half of the common room groaned. Neville, seated near a door, rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Oh, not this again."

Harry's scowl deepened. "I'm not in the mood, Ron."

Sometimes there are people in the world that are stupid. Ronald Weasley wasn't one of them. He could be a bit thick sometimes, but he wasn't stupid. What he was, was careless and more than a little bit selfish.

He turned to Harry. "She's pure evil! Just like the rest of her family!"

Hermione came to Ron's side and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Maybe this should wait until you're alone. This isn't the time for …"

But Ron cut her off with a glare in her direction. "Butt out, Hermione!"

The bushy haired witch bristled, a scathing retort hot on her tongue when Neville calmly grabbed her shoulder and shook his head.

"It's not worth it." He said.

Ron had turned to back to Harry. "She's a Malfoy. You can't trust them!"

"I think I can decide the wrong sort for myself. And anyway, Lyra Malfoy is helping me. Did it ever occur to you that me, an orphan, who grew up knowing next to nothing about his parents, might want to know more about them? About any family I could have?" Harry didn't yell but he might as well have. His voice echoed across the silent room.

Everyone sat, waiting, almost holding their collective breaths; watching the blowout between the three people who had been inseparable since their first year at Hogwarts. Now in their third year, the cracks were beginning to show.

"What are you on about, Harry? We told you about James and Lilly Potter. Everyone knows about them." Ron said.

"I didn't. And what about Charlus Potter and Dorea Potter nee Black? What about the culture and etiquette and history and lore behind the wizarding world? I had a right to know." Harry persisted.

Ron shook his head, perplexed. Why would Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived need or want to know any of that? Those were just things that Pure Bloods spouted to make muggle-borns feel bad about themselves, Pure Blood supremacy at its finest.

"You don't want to know that stuff. Besides, you won't need it. My parents don't think much of it and neither do I. You and I are a lot alike. That's why we're friends. You don't think you're better than anyone. You're just Harry." He said.

Harry's scowl deepened. He stood up, fists clenched. He was so blinded by anger. Hermione stepped in. She placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. Harry stared at her, long and hard. Slowly, he unclenched his fists and took a deep breath. Hermione dropped her hand and stepped back. Both she and Neville stared at Harry.

"You should have told me, Ron. I had a right to know and I am capable of making my own decisions. You knew how much I wanted to know them, anything about them." Harry turned away.

It was Ron's turn to scowl. Why couldn't Harry understand? There was nothing good about those books. Most Light Wizards were not members of the Sacred Twenty-eight. Only Pure Bloods believed in those traditions and only they practiced those rituals. It was another way to look down on and mock anyone who wasn't a Pure Blood. Why couldn't they see that this new Malfoy was simply just another Slytherin Snob supremacist? That she was just like her brother and father?

"It's not worth it, Harry. He doesn't understand." Neville said.

Harry turned to him, a confused frown on his face. "What do you mean?"

"He's not like us. He doesn't understand the loss, the deep, empty space in your heart that seems like it can never be filled. He can't see the aching loneliness. But even I can't imagine what it's like. I had my Gran to teach me and guide me. But you, you've had no one." He said.

Most of the common room looked down and away. Most times they forgot that Harry was indeed and orphan. He was usually all smiles and excitement, not to mention friendly to everyone that was friendly to him. If being an orphan bothered him, he didn't let any of them see it. It was the same, although slightly different with Neville. He wasn't anywhere near as outgoing as Harry, but he was coming out of his shell.

Harry lowered his gaze as well. Sometimes he got so caught up in his own angst that he forgot that he wasn't the only one who lost their parents.

"I'm not stupid." Ron said. "I told him about his parents. Even my parents did."

"But you didn't tell him about the rest of it. Despite believing that it's all propaganda, you're still a wizard raised in the wizarding world and you didn't even think to educate to your best friend." Neville said.

"He could have asked." Ron was stubborn.

"How could he ask about something he didn't even know he needed to know?" Hermione said.

Harry turned to look at her. He raised an eyebrow. She lowered her eyes and shrugged. "Some habits are hard to break. Anyway, are you sure you don't want me to stay with you?"

He sighed and shook his head. "Don't miss out on fun on my account."

Ron turned and clapped Harry on the back. "That's the spirit, mate!"

Harry and Hermione shared a look. Hermione turned, grabbed Ron's arm and dragged him out of the common room. Neville and many of the other Gryffindors followed. Harry and a few others remained.

Once Harry was sure that everyone going to Hogsmeade had left the castle, Harry decided to do a little exploring. He took his invisibility cloak and went for a walk. Then a rather curious thought popped into his head. If he could traipse, unseen, through the castle then what was stopping him from sneaking out of the castle.

He made it to the front doors. All he had to do was reach out open them and slip right out and he'd be free. Cautiously, he reached out. He had to be careful. No one was there but you never knew who could come running down the hallway.

"Oi! Whatcha doin' there, Harry?"

Harry dropped his hand and spun around. It was the twins, Fred and George Weasley. Truth be told with him and Ron on the outs, even though Ron didn't know it, the twins were his favourite of the Weasleys. He was also pretty sure it was Fred that had spoken. George was a little bit more reserved. Not much, but just a little bit.

"Guys, lay off!" Harry whispered.

"Awe! Look at our little Harry-kins!"

"Fancy a bit of rule breakin' does he?"

The twins grabbed him and dragged him to an even more secluded corner of the castle. Harry pouted all the way there.

In the corner, George yanked the invisibility cloak off of Harry. Harry scowled at both Fred and George.

"Don't get mad at us." Fred said.

"Yeah, we were paid." George said.

"Besides, there are warning charms…"

"On all the doors…"

"That lead outside of the castle."

The alternating speech pattern gave always gave Harry a headache. He could feel the twinge starting just behind his left eye. Then he paused and replayed their words in his head. He looked up at the twin redheads.

"What do you mean you were paid?" Harry asked, suspicious.

The twins glanced at one another, like they were communicating with just their eyes.

"Don't just stare at one another!"

"Well…" George started.

"The Little Lady can be…"

"Very persuasive."

"And we're…"

"Very afraid of her."

"That's good to know." Lyra said from behind the twins.

They moved to the side, turned and smiled at her, mischief twinkling in their eyes. "We don't mean…"

"That you're scary…"

"We're just…"

"Scared of you."

"Thank you." Lyra said with a smile. She handed each twin two galleons.

Their smiles widened to grins. She walks past them and stands next to Harry.

"You know something, Gred?"

"What is it, Forge?"

They wrapped their arms around each other.

"I'm beginning to be less scared."

"Imagine that!"

Harry tried and failed to hold back his grin. Fred and George Weasley never failed to amuse. And somehow, they managed to drag the composed beauty of the Malfoy family along with another one of their shenanigans. Or, was she the one to drag them along?

The twins started to talk away, but Lyra cleared her throat. Like everything else about her, it was a dainty and poised sound. It drew Harry's eyes to her. The twins turned to look as well. Though, instead of admiring, they looked sheepish, like they had been caught doing something very naughty.

Lyra held out her hand. "We had a deal. If I figured out how you were getting around the castle undetected, you had to provide me with those same means."

"You cheated." George said.

"No, I simply utilized every means available to me. You never said that I couldn't."

"You're worse than your brother ever was." Fred, or maybe it was George, sighed. He dug into his robes, pulled out some old parchment and handed it to her.

"A pleasure doing business with you gentlemen." She said.

George looked at Fred and he looked right back. Identical grins lit up their faces.

"For a minimal fee…"

"Of only a galleon…"

"All the secrets…"

"Of that parchment…"

"Can be yours!"

Lyra smiled again. She pulled out her wand, twelve-inch birch wood with a thestral hair core and tapped the parchment.

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good." She said.

Then, she opened the parchment. Slowly but surely, a map of Hogwarts was revealed. Harry peered at it.

"What?" Harry asked, perplexed.

"It's a map of Hogwarts and every single person in it, including the ghosts." Lyra said.

The twins gaped at her. "Now we know…"

"You cheated…"

"Tell us…"

"Your ways!"

Lyra smiled and tapped her head with her wand. "Tell you what. If you can figure out how I found out, I'll give you back the map."

The twins laughed and shook their heads.

"Gred?" George asked.

"Yes Forge?" Fred answered.

"Me thinks we've been out foxed by Little Lady Malfoy."

"Me thinks we have, Forge."

They turned to Lyra and Harry with a bow.

"Retribution shall be swift, Little Lady!" they said together.

Lyra hid a smile behind her hand. "I look forward to your challenge."

The twins laughed and walked away. Harry stared at Lyra.

"What?" Lyra asked.

"The Weasley Twins? I never pictured you as a Weasley lover." Harry said.

Lyra wrinkled her nose and Harry was struck by how cute the action was to him.

"Those Weasleys are tolerable. Besides, they had something I wanted." She said.

Harry frowned. "That reminds me. How did you know about the map or even how to open it? This is your first year at Hogwarts."

"Harry Potter. I'm a Ravenclaw. We're known for our smarts."

"Do you remember how you told me that I'm smarter than people give me credit for? Well, even I can tell that that's not the truth, not really."

Lyra turned away from him to hide a smile.

"Fine. The truth is, ever since I found out I was coming to Hogwarts, I've been cultivating a network of spies through out the castle." She turned back to him with a straight face.

Harry narrowed his eyes at her shook his head.

"What's wrong now?"

"From what little I know of you, that all sounds plausible."

"But?"

"It's also asinine."

Lyra laughed. "Come on!"

She grabbed his hand and Harry felt his face heat up as she laced their fingers together. She took off at a near jog.

"Where are we going?" He asked, partially because he wanted to know, and partially to distract from the heat from her hand that was giving him very pleasant feelings, low in his stomach.

"Well, we're going to find Hermione and then the three of us are going to Diagon Alley."

"How are we going to get out of the Castle? The doors have charms on them."

"That's what the map's for."

"And how are we going to find Hermione?"

Lyra stopped and Harry almost ran into her back. She turned to him still holding his hand. She gave it a squeeze. "Has anyone ever told you that you ask too many questions?"

A blush lit Harry's face. Lyra giggled at the sight and Harry turned away to hide it. Strange enough neither tried to pull way. Lyra stepped closer to him, close enough to feel his body heat. He turned back to face her, his blush illuminating his cheeks and neck.

Outside, pure white powder blanketed the ground. Inside, Harry could swear it was getting warmer. He looked down at Lyra. She looked up at him.

"Do you want to come or not?" she asked.

Harry nodded. Lyra frowned.

"Use your words." She said.

Harry smiled and blushed harder. Lyra thought it was adorable.

"Yes. I want to come with you."

"Good." She patted his cheek and stepped back. "Then no more questions until we get to where we're going."

With that, she stepped away and went back to taking them both at a near jog down the hallway. The blush on Harry's face faded after a while but the fond smile on his face never did.


	8. Chapter 8

Lyra and Harry ran around the castle following the directions on the map. Harry was amused and was actively enjoying the time he spent with the littlest Malfoy. It also helped that he thought about how angry Draco Malfoy would be if he knew that Harry Potter was running around Hogwarts and hiding in dark, secluded corners with his precious little sister. Though, Harry himself couldn't really complain, especially about the current situation where they were hiding from Professor McGonagall.

They were both wedged into a little space near the wall that was just barely big enough for the two of them to fit. Lyra's body was perfectly moulded to his and he found that he really liked it. His chest was pressed against her back while her chest was pressed against the wall.

Harry thought that they should have used the invisibility cloak but never mentioned it to Lyra. Both he and Hermione agreed that while they trusted her infinitely more than they trusted her brother, she was still a Malfoy and they shouldn't trust her with all of their secrets just yet.

"Malfoy?" he asked.

"Shhhh." She shushed him and wiggled a little, trying to bring the map up to her face but her arm was pinned between her body and the wall. She pressed back, closer to Harry to try and move her arm.

"Lyra!" he said with more urgency.

She ignored him and finally got her hand with map unpinned. She opened the map. McGonagall was gone. She wiggled out of the space and into the open. Harry followed her, face burning red.

Lyra stared at the map. "Hm. There's a secret passage way here. It's small but we should just be able to crawl through. We're both small enough."

Harry, sensitive about his height said, "I haven't hit my growth spurt yet."

Lyra ignored him, put away the map in her robes and started feeling along the wall. She came to a raised point and pulled down. The bottom half of a portion of the wall slid away to reveal a square shaped hole.

Harry peered at the hole. "You want us to climb through that? Are you sure we'll even fit?"

She turned to him and raised an eyebrow. "Scared, Potter?"

He glanced at the hole then looked back to Lyra. There was a challenge in her eyes and Harry Potter, the-boy-who-lived, never backed down from a challenge.

He smirked. "You wish." He got down on his knees and made to crawl into the hole, but Lyra stopped him.

His smirk deepened. "Scared for me?"

Lyra raised an eyebrow and shook her head. "I memorized the passageway. I should go first."

Harry nodded, got up and stepped aside. Lyra got down wiggled her way into the hole. "Hurry up," she called back to him. "That hole won't stay open for much longer."

Harry got down and followed her. The hole closed up behind him.

Hermione regretted not staying behind with Harry. She really did. Absolutely anything would have been better than to be subjected to a Draco Malfoy and Ronald Weasley pissing contest. Actually, it would have more fun if they were literally pissing on each other but as it stood, they were irritating.

So, Hermione sat off to the side while Ron and Malfoy hurled insults and snow at one another. Normally, Hermione would have joined to defend Ron, but she wasn't particularly happy with him at the moment and it would have been rude to insult Malfoy when he hadn't really done anything to her for the day.

"Give up, Weasel and take your mudblood girlfriend with you!" Malfoy screamed.

Now that she was directly insulted, Hermione stood up. She had been sitting on a rock/boulder that had been wedged into the ground. Snow started to fall and they were in a clearing not far from the Shrieking Shack.

"A man that can only resort to insults when faced with a problem he can't overcome is not a man at all." She said, indirectly insulting Ron as well.

Zabini and Nott, both of which opted out of the Malfoy's antagonism session, sat behind Draco Malfoy and looked impressed. Just last year when Malfoy had called her, "…a filthy little mudblood," she had cried her eyes out.

Malfoy flared and puffed up, doing a fair impression of and angry kitten which Hermione, owner of Crookshanks, found weirdly endearing.

"What did you say to me, you filthy little mudblood?"

"Aside from being immature, your insults are highly unoriginal and a tad bit boring."

He bristled even more. Zabini and Nott were both impressed. She was insulting the Malfoy heir without actually insulting him. He was after all, only thirteen and not yet a man plus his insults were one note and they did get old after a while.

"You'll get what's coming to you, you…"

Hermione rolled her eyes and cut him off before a true tirade could begin. "Oh what are you going to do? Tell your father that the filthy little mudblood, who happens to be a girl by the way, is bullying you? I can't imagine that going over very well with Lucius Malfoy."

Malfoy's eyes blazed with fury. He turned red and stalked away. Nott followed behind him, hiding a smile. Curiously, Zabini stayed behind. He eyed Hermione. She turned away and went to where Ron stood gaping.

"Honestly, Ronald!" she snapped. "That was nothing."

"Nothing? Nothing! Bloody hell, Hermione that was brilliant! You're brilliant! Scary sometimes but bloody brilliant!" he said.

In the past, Hermione would have blushed from receiving such praises, especially from Ron but now she simply nodded her head and turned back to Zabini with a raised eyebrow.

He smirked at her and gave her a deep courtly bow. "Blaise Zabini. A pleasure."

Hermione regarded him as he rose from his bow. Then, she stepped away from Ron and gave him a deep curtsy. "Hermione Granger. Charmed."

Ron made a sound halfway between choking and gurgling. The two ignored him.

Hermione extended her hand but instead of touching it to his forehead, Blaise took her hand laid the barest of kisses to the back of it. This did cause her to blush and her blush turned Blaise's smirk into a small but real smile. He dropped her hand and walked away.

Ron stood frowning. "How could you let him touch you?"

"Unlike some people, he was being polite."

"Are you forgetting that last year he was cackling and being a general dickhead with Malfoy when you got petrified and when Ginny got taken?"

"I recall our first year when you called me a, bucktoothed, bossy, know-it-all beaver." Hermione said. She crossed her arms.

"I rescued you from a troll!"

"You were the reason I needed rescuing in the first place."

They lapsed into silence. Hermione turned away from Ron. She was still a bit angry with him. Harry was right. Ron should have told him. Heck, he should have told both of them about the wizarding world and what was available to them.

"I think I should apologize to Harry." Ron said.

Hermione spun around and stared at Ron. "What?"

Ron sighed. "I should have come to see him when he was in the hospital wing and I should have told him about all that other stuff too. I just … I don't agree with it. With any of it and I don't understand why you or Harry, the very people these rules were designed to discriminate against, would want to be a part of them."

Hermione came closer to Ron and placed a hand on his shoulder. "When you were growing up, you didn't have to dream that magic was real. For you, it was real. You watched your mother and father perform magical feats everyday. Neither Harry nor myself had that. Harry especially because he doesn't have his parents. All he has is the world that they lived and the rules and strictures that they lived by and the things that they left him. Things that his best friend didn't tell him about and then complained about when someone else stepped in to teach him."

"I never thought about it like that." Ron said. "Harry and I are so similar that I sometimes forget that he wasn't raised like me. His muggle relatives are awful!"

Hermione and Ron stared out at the shrieking shack, lost in thought and standing close to one another.

"Glad to see you two getting along with out me!" Harry said.

Ron and Hermione jumped apart and turned to find Lyra and Harry, standing near the entrance to the clearing, watching them. It was peculiar because Lyra was usually always put together and she always projected the image of a proper lady. Yet here, her hair was a mess of leaves and twigs, her face was splotched with dirt on her robes were torn in several places. Harry looked the same.

Hermione smiled but Ron scowled.

"What did you do to him, you slimy Slytherin!" Ron called out to Lyra.

Lyra pulled out her wand and Ron flinched back and reached for his. She rolled her eyes.

Lyra casted a cleaning charm on both herself, and Harry then she looked at him and frowned. She fought herself. She really wanted to run her fingers through his hair and try to fix it but they were both clean.

"So, how are we getting to Diagon Alley?" Harry asked.

Lyra shook her head to clear it. Her curls bounced and moved. Absently, she raised her right hand and tucked an errant curl behind her ear. Harry watched her and smiled when the curl popped back out. This time, it was him who fought the urge to touch Lyra. He wanted to reach out and tuck that curl back behind her ear.

"We're going by floo."

"Where are we going to find a floo?" Harry asked.

"I know a guy." Lyra said. She turned to Hermione and smiled. "Hello, Hermione. Would you like to come with us? After all, it concerns you."

"She's not going anywhere with you!" Ron said. He reached out and grabbed Hermione's arm.

"Ronald Weasley! You let go of me this instant!"

"Mione! She's evil! Just like her brother!"

Harry and Lyra looked at one another, debating whether or not to step in. It was Harry that spoke up.

"Say, Ron? Why don't you come with us?" Harry asked

The statement took all of air out of both Ron and Hermione. Lyra glowered at him. She might have been okay with the Weasley twins but the rude redhead was grating and he kept calling her a slimy Slytherin even though she very clearly belonged to the house of ravens. Hermione snatched away from Ron. He let her go.

"Where are you going?" Ron asked, still angry and suspicious.

Harry turned to Lyra. She scowled at him and Harry couldn't find it in himself to be intimidated. Cute things weren't intimidating and Lyra was most definitely cute.

He smiled at her and Lyra looked away.

"We're going to Gringotts." She said.

"Why?" Ron asked

"Because I feel like breaking the rules." She said with a roll of her pretty storm coloured eyes.

Ron scowled back at her. The tall lanky redhead really didn't like her but for Lyra, the feeling was more than mutual.

Hermione spoke up. "I'm not too comfortable with breaking the rules."

Harry piped up. "It's only breaking the rules if you get caught."

"And what if we get caught?" Hermione said.

"We're not going to get caught." Lyra said. "Besides, we're going for you and Harry, Hermione."

"Why now?" Hermione asked.

"When else are we going to go? Over the summer?" Lyra asked with a pointed look in Harry's direction.

Hermione missed the implications of that look but neither Harry nor Ron did.

"Why not?" she asked.

Lyra sighed. "We do not have time for all of these questions. Either you're coming or you're not. Pick one."

She crossed her arms and glared at the only other witch in the vicinity. Hermione bit her bottom lip and frowned.


	9. Chapter 9

:AN – I have found that there are a ton of mistakes and little continuity issues with the story so I am choosing to clear those up at the moment. I feel as though clearing those issues up will propel me to write the new chapter. There will be a new chapter. I just don't know when. – AN:

In the end Hermione gave in and the foursome found themselves in the back of a dirty, old cellar. They had managed to sneak into Hogsmeade proper where Lyra led them to the oldest and most rundown building there.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Ron asked.

Lyra rolled her eyes. It seemed like that would become her habit when anywhere near the golden trio.

"Yes, I'm sure." She said.

"It's just that, we're in a cellar." Ron continued.

"I can see that." Lyra said.

Ron fell silent and the foursome waited.

(Insert Break Here)

Draco Malfoy was used to commanding a certain level of respect, awe and admiration from his peers. Now, ever since his little sister showed up, his friends were laughing at him and muggle-born know-it-alls found a new backbone and creative little insults to throw at him. He wasn't sure how, but he knew this was all her fault.

"Will you shut up?" He snapped.

His waspish tone and angry demeanour only made Theodore laugh harder. Then Blaise jogged up to join them and he too pealed into laughter.

"And just where have you been?" Draco asked him.

Blaise sobered up instantly. He stared at Draco, a serious expression on his face.

"What is your sister up to?" Blaise asked

Draco frowned. "What do you mean?"

Blaise scoffed. "Oh, come off it, Malfoy. She's playing at something and I'm willing to bet half my inheritance that your father knows about it."

Draco snorted, disdainful and inelegant. "You'd lose a lot of money and priceless heirlooms, Zabini. Not even I know what she's planning."

"Well, we can be assured that what ever it is, Potter and Granger are in the thick of it." Theodore said. He had recovered from his laughing fit enough to lend his two knuts to the conversation.

"How is your sister getting away with planning, whatever it is she's planning, under your father's nose?" Blaise asked.

Draco sighed. "I think he knows that she's doing something, but I don't think he knows specifics. Quite honestly, I don't think he really cares. So far, she hasn't done anything to tarnish the name Malfoy and she's stubbornly consistent with not getting caught. Lyra's always been good at taking advantage of that aspect of his personality."

"Your family is weird, Malfoy." Blaise said.

"All Pureblood families are weird." Theodore said.

"True but Malfoy's have always been a special kind of crazy. Though, if it helps, they're better than the Blacks and Lestranges." Blaise retorted.

While the two darker boys had their conversation, Draco pondered his sister. Because she was raised away from their parents, she was also raised away from the family expectations. In France, she got to do what she wanted, and she became a bit of a free spirit. Now, their father wanted her to become the perfect Pureblood wife, but he wouldn't be able to break Lyra. Oh, she was flexible and knew her way around certain rules and social norms, so she would bend but Draco knew that there was only so far Lucius Malfoy could push her before she would push back. And with the ever so loved boy-who-lived in her corner or soon to be in her corner, her push had a fair bit of weight to it.

Draco closed his eyes and laughed abruptly. Blaise and Theodore turned away from their argument to stare at their friend. Draco laughed louder. Blaise and Theodore took a couple of steps back.

"You alright there, Malfoy?" Theodore asked.

Draco calmed down and nodded his head. "Yeah."

"Going to tell us what that was about?" Blaise asked.

The blond Malfoy heir shook his head. "No. I think I'll keep that bit of news to myself for a bit longer. I want to see how this all plays out."

Blaise as Theo glanced at each other.

(Insert Break Here)

Lyra stepped out of the floo and looked around. The floor was dark with dust and creaked in odd places. Most of the items on the shelves were covered in dust and dirt. The room was almost black as pitch. Even the widows looked dingy. Cobwebs littered the corners and only a single, lit lantern hung across the room. Lyra could barely see a few feet in front of herself.

Harry tumbled through the floo in a heap of dust and noise. He sputtered and coughed. Dust coated most his small frame and even smudged his glasses. He looked at Lyra and frowned at how put together she looked. Only a single smudge of dirt marred her left cheek. Absently, Harry reached out and wiped the smudge. Lyra turned to look at him. Storm grey met emerald green and the two got lost in each other's eyes. Lyra reached up and smoothed Harry's fringe across his forehead to hide his telltale lightening bolt scar.

"It wouldn't do for anyone to recognize you here." Lyra said.

Hermione stumbled out of the floo next. Her bushy hair was askew. Soot streaked her face. Still, she managed to land on her feet. She glanced at Harry and Lyra as they stepped away from one another, deep, ruby red stains on their cheeks. She smiled. Hermione was a very bright witch. She noticed the attraction between the two of them almost instantly, but she also knew that right now, they were simply fascinated by one another. And why wouldn't they be. Harry was the boy-who-lived. He fascinated everyone, but Hermione suspected that one of the reasons Lyra was so interested in him was because he was nothing like many thought he was. Harry was sweet and even natured when he wanted to be, then sly and secretive when he needed to be. He was brave and had a dangerous curiosity streak in him.

The brainy witch could also see why Lyra fascinated Harry. She was smart, bold and unapologetic. She also didn't fawn over him, something that Hermione herself enjoyed about Lyra as well. The dark-haired Malfoy also had a mean streak but she was kind and generous to those who earned it. And, even Hermione could admit it; Lyra was stunning to look at. In a year or two, once Harry and Lyra really hit puberty, they would both be hot commodities.

Hermione hid her grin from the two of them. Ron tumbled out of the floo last in a hail of gangly limbs and noise.

Lyra shook her head. "Now that we've alerted everyone within Diagon Alley of our presence, let's go before we get into trouble."

"Have we caught some thieves?" the man's voice as low and gravely. He sounded like a bad guy.

Harry, on instinct, drew Lyra closer to himself and way from the man's voice. Hermione, too amused to be afraid, watched them with an open grin. Ron, even though he was afraid, gripped Hermione and pulled her behind him.

Mr Borgin wasn't particularly tall, nor was he very short, he was average, sort of weedy looking with stringy, oily, brown hair and brown eyes.

For her part, Lyra stood tall and proud, despite her diminutive stature and glared at the shop owner.

Mr Borgin sneered down at her. "What do you want, girl?"

Lyra sniffed in disdain. "My name is Lyra Malfoy. My cohorts and I are here to purchase a certain book."

Lyra dug around in her robes and pulled out a silk money pouch embroidered with a 'M' done in beautiful calligraphy. She shook the purse, it jingled and Mr Borgin's countenance changed. He smiled and nodded.

Lyra looked around the shelves, grabbed a random potions book, paid double the price and quickly left the shop with Hermione, Harry and Ron in tow.

The foursome dashed out of the shop and into Knockturn Alley where Lyra dropped the potions book in a beggar's lap along with a couple of sickles.

Once in Diagon Alley proper, they all stopped and took a breath.

"What did you buy in there?" Ron asked suspicious.

"A potions book." Lyra responded.

"Yeah but what kind of potions?" he persisted.

Lyra looked up with an angry scowl. "Did you see me read the book?"

"You looked like you knew what you were looking for." Ron said.

Lyra's scowled deepened. She sneered at the red-head and opened her mouth, a Malfoy retort hot on her tongue.

Hermione saw the look on her face and anger in her eyes and stepped in. "We don't have much time. If we're going to get to Gringotts and get back to Hogwarts before anyone notices we're gone, we're going to have to move quickly."

Lyra closed her mouth, glanced at Hermione and nodded.

"What are we going to do, anyway?" Harry asked to further defuse the situation.

"We're going to get your parchements and then we're going to get Hermione recognized." Lyra said.

Harry frowned. "The Potter's aren't a part of the Sacred Twenty-eight. How can I recognize Hermione?"

Lyra walked towards Gringotts, the large, looming building in the distance. "More walking less talking please."

Harry shook his head but he, Hermione and Ron followed Lyra.

"The Potters aren't part of the Sacred Twenty-eight but the Blacks are. In doing some research, I found out that Sirius Black, current Azkaban escapee, is now Lord Black. But, since he's incarcerated, he can no longer perform his lordship duties. As such, the duty would have fallen to the closest Black relative, which would have been my mother but because she's lady Malfoy, it would have fallen to Draco. Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, because he's heir Malfoy, a title in of itself, the Black title would have fallen to me. However, Sirius Black named you, Harry Potter, his heir and as such, the title and the duties fall to you upon your seventeenth birthday. As it stands, you are both heir Potter and heir Black." Lyra's voice was low so that only the other three student wizards could hear her as they walked through the semi-crowded streets.

Harry frowned. "Why didn't anyone tell me before now." He looked at Ron.

Lyra chimed in, "In their defence, I don't think anyone even knew. Wizarding Britton is kind of slow when it comes to these kinds of things, I've noticed. I was curious about the Black mantle and when mother took me to Gringotts in the summer, I asked. It was a fair bit of digging too. Goblins are not the most talkative bunch."

In the Gringotts Atrium wizards and Goblins alike puttered around. Papers flew and tellers rung bells and stamped papers. A crowd of wizards passed by. Lyra took a step back. She looked around and licked her lips.

If word of her presence got back to her father or worse, her mother, she would be a world of trouble. And not the kind she would be able to smooth talk her way out of. Closing her eyes, Lyra took a deep breath and walked up to the front teller.

"Greetings!" Lyra said with a deep curtsey and a bow.

Everything stopped, both goblin and human. They all turned to look at the four young wizards. Ron, Hermione and Harry returned the looks with awkward smiles and nervous movements. Lyra, on the other hand, started straight at the goblin in front of her.

"Might I ask your name?" she asked.

The Goblin smirked at her, exposing a row of sharp and pointed teeth. "Gornuk."

"Greetings, Gornuk. We've come to inquire about a recognition."

Everything went back to being hectic. Gornuk leaned closer. He stared at Lyra then Harry then Ron and finally he zeroed in on Hermione. He stared so hard that Hermione fidgeted under his direct gaze.

"And shall it be you, Miss Malfoy, to recognize her?" Gornuk asked.

Lyra stepped back and motioned Harry forward. "Mister Potter would like to recognize her on behalf of the Black family. I second the motion."

Once again, Gornuk stared hard but this time his gaze focused on Lyra. His smirk sharpened into a full on grin. He pulled out several pieces of parchment and a single ornate silver blade.

Lyra leaned over to Harry and Hermione. "Take the parchment and read over it very carefully. It outlines your duties and rights. When you're done, prick your finger on the knife and allow three drops to fall onto the parchment. It is a binding contract so think long and hard about what you read."

The two young wizards followed Lyra's instructions. The parchment outlined that Harry and Hermione would essentially be as siblings. She would be under his protection and the protection of his family. It announced to the world that Hermione was such an outstanding young witch that her talents gained her status in the Wizarding world above that of a regular Muggle-born. She wasn't quite considered a half-blood, but she wasn't a mud-blood anymore.

For his part, Harry would be her caretaker and somewhat of a provider for her until she found a suitable marital match. They were to be almost like siblings. Which was fine for both of them because they both felt like brother and sister anyway. Hermione was the nagging but well-meaning older sister and Harry was the cheeky younger brother who was always in and out of trouble.

Both Hermione and Harry read and re-read the parchments before they pricked their fingers and allowed blood to fall onto them. The blood formed a beautiful script that spelled out each of their full names.

Harold James Potter – Black for Harry and Hermione Jean Granger for Hermione but next to her name, in brackets were the words, "Rec. Black." Meaning recognized by the noble and ancient house of Black.


	10. Chapter 10

Once Harry and Hermione both dropped the blood onto the parchments Lyra glanced at Ron. She rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Come on, Weasley." She said.

Ron stayed put and scowled at her. Lyra glowered at him and frowned. With a twitch of her wrist, her wand was in her hand and pointed at him.

"We do not have time for this and you don't want me to come over there." She said.

Ron fumbled for his wand but Hermione stepped between them. She turned to Ron.

"She wants you to be Harry's witness, Ronald." Hermione said with slight exasperation.

The redhead stopped fumbling. His scowl deepened. "She could have said that."

Lyra sneered and put her wand away. "You're a pureblood. I should not have to tell you that. You know full well that every magically binding contract needs to be witnessed."

Harry and Hermione spared glances at one another. Sure, Lyra could have said something to Ron about needing a witness but it was also true that Ron was a pureblood and he should know a lot of things already. What was clear was that Lyra didn't like Ron and Ron didn't like Lyra.

Ron didn't like her last name, her father or her brother. Lyra's dislike seemed to be growing. The youngest Weasley boy was not endearing himself at all to the youngest Malfoy.

"Out of curiosity, what would you have done if he wasn't here?" Harry asked, trying to defuse the situation.

"I would have witnessed both myself. Or asked one of the goblins to assist. But since you insisted on having your Weasley along, he might as well make himself useful." Lyra said.

Harry smiled at her. He couldn't help it. It was weird too because he knew that she was smart but sometimes, though he wasn't sure, but he was almost certain that there were times when she didn't know what she was doing. He would never tell her that to her face though.

Ron came to stand next to Harry and Hermione and Lyra moved closer to Gornuk. Both Lyra and Ron pricked their fingers and the same beautiful red scrip that formed Harry and Hermione's signatures also formed theirs with the word, 'Witness' right next to it.

Getting back to Hogwarts was easy. They simply took the floo from Gringotts to the Madam Puddifoot's and because it was so busy, they snuck out and took the secret tunnel from Honeydukes back to Hogwarts.

Lyra said goodbye to the golden trio. While she genuinely liked two thirds of them, they tended to wear on her with their constant questions. Why couldn't they just do what she wanted without question? Lyra laughed. Even though she was complaining to herself about them, she liked the fact that they were so free spirited and full of questions and they were very nice people.

She was so deep in her thoughts that she didn't notice her brother, Draco Malfoy coming up to her.

"What did you do today, Lyra?" He asked. He wasn't insistent or ever mean. Instead his tone was resigned, like he had and idea of what she did but didn't want to admit it to himself.

Lyra smiled. "Why brother dear. I haven't the faintest idea of which you speak."

The exasperated blond studied his younger sister. She was the exact opposite of him. Yes they were both poised and well-bred but Lyra was far nicer when it came to certain facets of society.

"Alright, sister dear. With whom did you spend the day?" Draco asked with a polite smile.

Lyra grin widened. "Hermione Granger. She's lovely company and I have it on good authority that she has been recognized."

"You wouldn't happen to be that authority, would you?" Draco asked. Oh, he knew the answer but he wanted Lyra to admit it. She wouldn't of course but he still wanted her to.

"Brother dear, whatever do you mean?" Lyra asked.

It was clear that Lyra had no intension of giving up the act. Draco sighed.

"I don't know what you have planned and I don't know how Potter, the mudblood and the weasel fit into those plans but I am asking you, as your older brother and heir to the Malfoy name, to be careful." He said.

This was as serious as Lyra had ever seen her brother when he wasn't imitating their father. Lyra's grin softened to a very real smile.

"I'll be fine." She said.

"I'm serious, Lyra. I know you've got a plan." Draco said.

The two siblings stood just outside of the Ravenclaw common room. Lyra leaned against the wall while Draco stood stall and crossed his arms.

"I'll be fine, Draco." Lyra reiterated.

Draco faced his little sister. Then he turned, without another word and walked away.

Hermione walked down the silent corridor. Her bushy hair flowed behind her as her pace propelled her forward. It was an hour before curfew and Hermione desperately wanted to get a couple of books from the library.

As she went over the list of books in head for the fifth time, she was so distracted that she didn't notice Draco Malfoy heading her way until she quite literally bumped into him.

Rubbing her nose from the floor where she had fallen, she looked up at him. He sneered down at her; an insult hot on his tongue when Hermione rolled her eyes, got up and kept walking.

"How is it that you are somehow always underfoot, Malfoy?" she asked.

Draco turned and followed her, in disbelief and begrudging respect. "You've gotten mouthy, Granger."

Hermione noted that Malfoy hadn't called her a mudblood. She stopped and turned to face him.

"Why are you following me?" she asked.

For once, instead of being witty or insulting, Draco Malfoy decided to answer with the truth.

"I want to know what my sister finds so interesting about you." He said.

"You mean Lyra?" Hermione asked.

"I only have one sister, Granger." Draco's voice was dry and suspiciously close to condescending but Hermione chose to ignore that part and focus on the fact that Draco Malfoy, son of Lucius Malfoy who had tried and failed to harm Ginny Weasley last year, was standing here having a semi-normal conversation with one Hermione Granger.

"I suppose you do." She answered.

"Hm." Draco made a noncommittal sound at the back of his throat. He stared at Hermione for a long time. The two of them stood still and quiet in the middle of the corridor. Silence reigned.

"Have you figured it out yet?" Hermione broke the long hush.

Draco shook his head. "I suppose I've always known. I just never cared because of your … status."

Hermione laughed, short and humourless, "You make it sound like a disease."

"I was raised to believe it was." Draco said.

Hermione wasn't known as the brightest witch since Lilly Potter for nothing. Her mind immediately zeroed in on his wording. He didn't say, 'we.' He said, 'I.' Quickly, her mind worked out that Draco and Lyra had very different upbringings and it was more than just being sent to separate schools.

"So you and Lyra weren't raised together." Hermione said.

Draco chuckled and smirked at her. "Clever."

"Thank you." She said with a little curtsey.

Draco eyed her, his gaze going from the top of her frizzy head to her shoes and then back again. Neither wore robes opting in stead for the school uniforms. He met her eyes and his smirk deepened.

"I still don't understand what my sister sees in Potter or the Weasel but I'm beginning to see what she sees in you."

"And what's that?" Hermione asked.

"I'm surprised you haven't figured it out yet. Still, I'm not going to tell you. You're clever. I'm sure you'll figure it out." He nodded at her, turned and walked back down the corridor. "See you around, Granger."

Hermione stayed rooted to the spot for a while longer, her mind trying to puzzle through the exchange with Malfoy. Lyra was using both her and Harry, but for what? She knew that Ron was simply collateral damage since Lyra didn't seem to care for him at all but what did she want with them? And what brought on Malfoy's change of heart? Now Hermione didn't think Lyra had planned whatever she had planned all along but still, now Hermione was worried. After all, Lyra was a Malfoy, the daughter of Lucius Malfoy and sister of Draco Malfoy.

There was still the problem of the Dementors and Harry's terrible reaction to them. Professor R. J. Lupin had the perfect solution.

"The Patronus charm." He said.

"The what?" Harry asked.

"The Patronus charm, its powerful magic that allows the caster to draw upon powerful positive emotions in order to create a shield that repels Dementors." Lupin said.

Harry frowned. "Would I be able to do it?"

"Well, it's advanced magic and ridiculously difficult to master."

"I want to do it." Harry said, conviction strong in his words.

"It's very complicated."

"I don't care. I want to learn. I have to learn." Harry said.

Neither Harry nor Hermione cared for Ron's pet rat, Scabbers. Harry always thought rats were filthy and Hermione was a cat person. On top of that, Harry never really fully trusted the rat.

It was strange but there was just something off about it.

One night, while doing some research with Lyra and Hermione in the library, Harry happened to glance at the Marauder's Map. On it was listed a name that couldn't possibly be there.

"Hey, Lyra?" Harry questioned.

She looked up at him with a question in her eyes.

"Is the map ever wrong?"

Both Lyra and Hermione looked at the map. On it was listed none other than Peter Pettigrew.

"Could that be a mistake?" Hermione asked.

"Maybe but the map has never been wrong before." Lyra said.

"Maybe he's a ghost?" Harry asked.

Lyra shook her head. "He can't be a ghost. Ghosts have attachments to the place they died in. It's why Binns is still a professor here."

Hermione leaned closer. She gasped. "Is that Ron?"

Both Harry and Lyra leaned in. Sure enough, Ronald Weasley was chasing behind Peter Pettigrew.

Harry frowned. "Why is Ron chasing a dead man?"

"We have to…" Hermione started.

"…Get a professor?" Lyra finished.

Harry shook his head. "We have to help him?"

Lyra pinched the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger. "Okay. I know you're Gryffindors, famous for your bravery to the point of stupidity but hear me out. What if Peter Pettigrew isn't dead? What if he's alive and well? With Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban, what possible reason could he have to come out of hiding?"

Hermione took a deep breath and closed her eyes, her brain going a mile a minute. "What if he's still in hiding?"

Lyra furrowed her brows. "There are a few ways he could get away with it. But why stay in hiding? Why not come out and be hailed a hero?"

"Because with him alive, people start asking questions." Hermione said.

"None of this makes sense but why come to Hogwarts?" Lyra said.

Harry closed his eyes. "What if he didn't come to Hogwarts on his own. What if he was brought in and is now trying to escape?"

"Yeah but escape from what?" Hermione asked.

"Sirius Black." Lyra said.

Harry shook his head. "He's not here."

Hermione nodded. "Actually, that makes a lot of sense. Sirius Black was a Death Eater. A devoted one apparently. You killed the He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. He escaped Azkaban for revenge."

"All the more reason to go and get a professor." Lyra said.

Harry shook his head. "Come on, 'Mione. We've got to get to Ron before Black does!"

Hermione stood quickly with Harry. They both dashed out of the library. Lyra, left behind, frowned then smoothed out her forehead. She gathered he books, papers and the map, shoved them into her bag stood up. Calmly, she went in search of a teacher.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

As Lyra stalked through the torch lit corridors of Hogwarts, she was in a terrible mood. Almost a year of hard work could be ruined because Gryffindors weren't self-serving enough and tended to think with either their hearts or their stomachs before they used their heads.

Don't get her wrong. Lyra fully understood Harry and Hermione's need to save their friend but they had rushed in head first without any sort of formal planning. They didn't even know what they were facing with Pettigrew being an unknown variable.

Worse still, Lyra really had thought better of Hermione but then again, the girl did belong to the house of lions so truthfully, Lyra only had herself to blame for her crushed expectations. Even so, she couldn't shake the foul temper that besieged her.

Luckily, she ran into Professors Severus Snape and Remus J. Lupin.

Quickly, she morphed her face into a pleasant and demure smile. Professor Snape looked at her and narrowed his eyes. He wasn't fooled and he never would be. He knew her too well. Professor Lupin on the other hand smiled indulgently. Lyra turned her smile up a notch and he melted. Snape glanced at his counterpart and sneered.

"What could you possibly want at this hour, Lyra?" Snape asked. He used her given name on purpose. While he didn't have a problem with her, he knew how her mind worked. He knew that she wanted something and that she wasn't above using adults to get what she wanted.

"I'm afraid there has been a bit of a problem. I was with Potter and Granger in the library earlier this evening…" Lyra began.

"Why, pray tell were you with Potter?" Snape interrupted and spat out the name. The amount of malice and rage in his voice made Lyra take note and file the information away for later.

"And Granger, sir. We were studying. Well, Granger and I were studying. Potter was there as a sort of informal bodyguard. Apparently he takes his duties as her recognizer very seriously." Lyra said. It was the truth and a lie. Just because she wasn't a Slytherin didn't mean she didn't have the qualities of the house.

Snape frowned, the wheels turning in his head. Lupin just smiled indulgently at her. She smiled back. Lyra knew what she was. She was a cute girl with a winning smile and a charming disposition. She also knew how to use her looks and her smarts to get exactly what she wanted.

She also knew that Snape knew what she was. If she had encountered him on his own, she wouldn't have bothered. However, there was still some time left in the school year. It wouldn't do to have anyone other than Snape know the truth.

"The point, Miss Malfoy." Snape said.

"Of course, Uncle." Lyra said. She wasted a charming grin in his direction.

For his part, Lupin could barely keep back a coo. He liked the fact that this little Malfoy wasn't like her father or her brother. She was charming, sweet natured and very studious. From what he understood, she gave Hermione Granger, the smartest witch in her year, a run for her money and she seemed very friendly with the Golden Trio.

"I have reason to believe that Sirius Black is on the castle grounds."

The smile slid from Lupin's face. Snape's frown deepened, the wheels in his head turning double time. Lyra wasn't one to freely give information unless she could gain from the outcome of her own actions. She was a Malfoy and she wasn't as selfless as she had the students and professors of Hogwarts believing.

For his part, Severus Snape left her up to her machinations but did keep an eye on her. Lyra's mind was scary. Her ability to think on her feet and plan several moves in advance gave her a major advantage when dealing with other people. It could be a major gain for the people she fought for and a thorn for the people she fought against. Unfortunately for many people, Lyra's loyalty was firstly to herself and then to her family and, Severus thought, at the rate Lucius Malfoy was going, it wouldn't be very long before Lyra proved that.

"Why do you think that?" Lupin asked.

Lyra fished around in her bag and pulled out the Marauder's Map. Lupin's eyes widened. If possible, Snape frowned harder.

Lyra took a step back. She held up the map. "I take it you know what this is?"

"How'd you get that?" Lupin asked.

"I'm a Ravenclaw. We're resourceful. What I'd like from you, Professor, is an explanation as to how the name Peter Pettigrew could have shown up and then I'd very much like for you to go and rescue the three Gryffindor idiots." Lyra said.

"Three?" Severus asked.

A small frown flitted across Lyra's face before a smile returned, not as bright as the first few. Lupin didn't pick up on it but Severus was looking for the cracks. He notices that this smile didn't reach her eyes and seemed colder.

"It's Weasley, sir. He was chasing Peter Pettigrew on the map. Granger and Potter chase after him." Lyra said.

"But what made you think that Sirius Black is on the grounds?" Lupin asked, relaxing a little.

Lyra's eyes brightened. "Rationale, professor. I believe that Peter Pettigrew was living comfortably somewhere and was brought to the castle but kept away from prying eyes, maybe in the dorms somewhere as something small and inconspicuous, maybe transfigured as a pet or something. Anyway, he was fine and out of sight. But now he's out in the open. But what could possibly make him come out in the open and risk being discovered? I think he's scared for his life because the man who tried to kill him twelve and a half years ago has escaped prison."

Remus Lupin was astounded by Lyra's intellect. The reasoning was somewhat sound and her ability to deduct and piece together information was top notch.

"What if he was brought in as a rat?" Lupin said. He was becoming more intrigued by Lyra as their conversation went on.

Lyra shook her head. "Weasley's the only person in the castle with…" she stopped. Her shoulder's sagged. "…I'm an idiot! But why hide with the Weasleys?"

She looked up at the two Professors and handed the map to Lupin. "You should probably go and rescues your Gryffindors before they get themselves killed."

"What of you, Miss Malfoy?" Lupin asked.

Lyra raised an eyebrow. "How could I possibly of use if two fully grown, fully trained wizards can't take out a criminal without a wand?"

She turned and hurried down the hallway, back toward the library.

Lupin turned to Severus. "She's your niece?"

Snape frowned. "I owe you nothing."

He took out his want and laid it flat in his palm. "Point me, Sirius Black!" The wand spun three times and then pointed toward the Whomping Willow tree. Snape spun around, black robes billowing and stormed in the direction his wand pointed.

Lupin smiled, a little exasperated, and followed behind him in slightly less dramatic fashion.

(INSERT LINE HERE)

Everything worked out in the end. Well, for Harry, almost everything. Turned out that Peter Pettigrew was the one that blew up the street and sold his parents out to Voldemort. Pettigrew said that it was because Voldemort was powerful and charismatic but Harry knew that it was because he was truly a coward. Still, he gained a godfather, even if said godfather was a wanted criminal on the run from Aurors. With three weeks left before the end of the school year, Harry found himself turning to Lyra.

He found her in the library, at the very back, sitting down to a table with lots of books spread out around her. They were law books. Harry stayed quiet and watched her show why she was put into Ravenclaw. This was Hermione times ten. She flipped pages, took notes and stared at passages for ages on end. Every time she encountered something she didn't understand, her teeth would take her bottom lip hostage and nibble and bite at it while she searched for an answer and an explanation. When she found the answers she was looking for, her face would light up. Her curls were tied up and away from her face with a single black and silver ribbon except for a single forelock and hung in her face.

Every time she tried to push it behind her ear, it stayed for a while before it bounced right back, like it belonged there. Even though he couldn't see her eyes, Harry knew that they would be bright and shiny with excitement. They'd be happy and eager as she poured over the pages before her.

Harry felt bad about interrupting her but it was a bit urgent. He cleared his throat. She jumped, startled, and looked up with her bottom lip between her teeth and a single lock of dark hair in her face. She quickly released her lip and tucked the errant strand behind her ear.

"Did you need something?" she asked.

Harry smiled and Lyra cocked her head to look at him. He looked more put together than he did when she first met him but that wasn't really saying much.

"I know you know about Sirius." He said.

Lyra gave him an elegant shrug. He wondered how she managed to do that surrounded by so much clutter and frowned at her.

"Come off it!" he said.

Lyra bit her bottom lip again. "I think he's innocent."

"He is!" Harry said.

Lyra frowned at him. "Tell me everything."

And he did. He told her about chasing Ron to the Whomping Willow where he was dragged by a dog that turned out to be Sirius Black in Animagus form. He told her about Peter Pettigrew being and Animagus also and about Remus Lupin being a werewolf, to which Lyra snorted.

"I figured it out the second week of school." She said.

Harry shook his head and continued to tell her about Pettigrew betraying his parents and about him killing the muggles in order to escape the rage that Sirius had flown into. He mentioned that Sirius, Pettigrew and his father, James, had been illegal Animagi in order to run with Remus Lupin on the full moon which was how Pettigrew escaped and why Sirius was able to avoid detection while on the grounds. Harry then told her about the fight with Snape and Pettigrew escaping and Lupin turning into a werewolf and being able to get Sirius out and away from the castle unseen and undetected.

The cogs turned in Lyra's head, her brain going a mile a minute, processing and reconstructing the data given. Her teeth found her bottom lip again and Harry couldn't help his smile.

"How can I help you?" she asked, looking up at him with her lip still between her teeth.

"I want to free him." Harry said.

"Isn't he already free? At least technically?" Lyra asked.

"No. Not really. I want him to be able to walk out amongst the populous be able to go places and to…" He trailed off.

Lyra nodded in understanding. "You want him to take you in."

Harry looked down at her, his bright green eyes shining with need and desperation. It didn't take Lyra very long to decide to help. It could potentially give her very good political standing with the boy-who-lived indebted to her. Still, she shook her head.

"I don't really know what I can do." She said.

"There must be something! Something we haven't thought of yet." Harry said.

Lyra was oddly put off that she wasn't the first person he ran to for help. In some way, he deeply offended her sensibilities.

"What makes you think I can help you?" Her tone was waspish.

Harry paused. He knew he had offended her in some way but he couldn't quite figure out how. So, he tried to placate her.

"You're smart! Practically the smarted girl in Hogwarts! You know things that not even Hermione knows. Truthfully, your mind is scary." He said cautiously.

Even being able to see the blatant manipulation for what it was didn't stop Lyra from preening a little. She was still a Malfoy and nothing made her happier then having her ego stroked.

"I know what you're doing, Harry Potter." She said.

"Is it working?" he asked with a lopsided grin.

"I suggest you send Minister Fudge a letter." She said.

Harry deflated a little. "I'm relatively certain that the title of minister of magic is slightly more elevated than being the heir of two house."

"Well, Ancient and Noble houses but that's not the point because you wont just be sending the letter as an heir. You'll also be sending the letter as the Boy-who-lived, saviour of the wizarding word and the one person who was able to defeat You-Know-Who." Lyra said.

Harry scowled. He hated the hyphenated titles and the fame that came with them. He hated that he couldn't just have a normal life.

"I hate those titles." He said.

Lyra stood up. "Hate them or love them, Golden boy, those titles give you a fair bit of power. Power that could potentially free your godfather and clear his name. It's up to you whether you use it or not."

Harry tossed his head back. "I know you're manipulating me."

"I would never!" Lyra said with a saccharine smile.

He stayed quiet for a long time. Lyra remained standing, smiling the entire time. Finally, Harry looked her in the eyes, determined and ready.

"What should I put in the letter?" He asked.

Lyra smiled. "Firstly, you want to stroke up is ego a bit. Men like Fudge love to be praised so throw in some fluff about how you admire him and how you think he's done and is still doing an amazing job as the Minister."

Harry wrinkled his nose and frowned. Lyra moved closer to him and smoothed out his forehead. "You'll get wrinkles."

"I can't say those things. They're lies!"

Lyra sighed. "I know you'd be lying and you know you'd be lying but to him, it will look like the truth and that's all that matters."

"What else?"

"Then you're going to get to the matter at hand. Something along the lines of, you would view it as a personal favour to the boy-who-lived, saviour of the wizarding world if he would look into getting a trial for Sirius Black. Follow that up by waxing poetic about how you would never view the failings of the previous minister as Fudge's fault and that you know that since the fact that Black was incarcerated without a trial on their watch, it was no fault of his that it wasn't looked at. You're then going to tell him that the reason you want this looked at is because you recently discovered Peter Pettigrew to be alive and well and missing a finger and that this doesn't sit right with you seeing as how you're heir to both the Noble and Ancient houses of Potter and Black." Lyra said, eyes bright with her thoughts.

"I guess that could work." Harry said. What he didn't voice was that he was having a hard time keeping up with her logic.

"You're not finished. There's a possibility that this might not sway him so you're going to have to include that you were raised by magic hating muggles who treat you as little more than a house elf." Lyra said.

Harry scowled again. Lyra smoothed out his wrinkled forehead again.

"How do you know about that?" he asked.

Lyra laced her fingers together. "There is very little that goes on here that I don't know about. Knowledge is information. Information is leverage. Leverage is power and I want power."

"You're twelve."

"Well, I may not be able to use a lot of it now but in a year or two, I'll have what I need."

"And what is it that you need?" Harry asked leaning closer.

Lyra looked up at him with a mischievous smile. She tapped him on the nose, "Spoilers," she whispered.

Then, she spun away from him. "To close off your letter, you're going to stress that this information not reach the public and that it could ruin quite a few people if it did. You should also mention the Longbottoms and the Abbots somewhere. They're still prominent families and you are friends with the heirs. You'll tell him that you'll wait for two weeks for his favourable response and that should he ever need an endorsement, he is free to contact you via post. You will sign the letter with both of your titles and include the family crests. Then you will seal it with wax and stamp it with the Black family stamp."

"Why?" he asked.

"The art of subtly is lost on you." Lyra said. "You're saying by using the Black stamp and not the Potter stamp that you are fully prepared to act if your demands are not met."

"I thought I was just asking." Harry said, confused.

"Upon your Twenty-fifth birthday, at the very least, you will be Lord Potter. As it stands, you are heir to both the Ancient and Noble houses of Potter and Black. If you learn nothing from me, remember this. You don't ask for anything from people of a lower station than you. You demand it." Lyra said. "Now, sit! We'll start on the first draft of your letter."

Lyra pushed Harry in the seat she had vacated and handed him some very expensive looking parchment, an inkwell and a fancy falcon feather quill. Harry laughed and got to work with Lyra standing over him and correcting every little mistake he made.


	12. Chapter 12

:AN - I kind of wanted to get this chapter out before the weekend because I'll be super busy for a while. Don't freak about about any loose ends or plot lines that don't make any sense. Just trust me. They work out. I love all of the love and support I'm getting from you guys and I love the questions so keep them coming! You'll find that from here onward, the story will kind of deviate from the books and movies but it's going to be a lot of fun. Thank's for putting up with me and my weird upload times. Love you all and keep reading and writing. Also, if there is anything you guys would like for me to read that you've written, feel free to send it to me. I don't just write on the site, I'm a reader too. - AN:

Chapter 12

After hours of work and two shouting matches resulting in the two getting kicked out of the library, Lyra and Harry finally managed to craft and mail the perfect letter to Fudge. Harry hoped and prayed that it worked. He had wanted to use Hedwig, his own personal owl but Lyra told him to use one of the school owls.

"Your owl is very recognizable. Beautiful but everyone knows she's yours. I suggest getting an eagle owl before the next term and keeping it here at the school until you work out your living situation. Until then, use one of the school owls."

So, Harry did as he was told, more amused than anything at the small girl ordering him around. He sent letter off, sat back and waited.

(INSERT LINE HERE)

Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic, was a very politically savvy man. He knew just who to kiss up to and exactly who to ignore which was why he was very confused when a letter addressed to him landed on his desk.

What as peculiar was that while the letter was addressed to him; the sender was one Harry James Potter, The-Boy-Who-Lived, resident saviour of the wizarding world and current student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Even more peculiar was the crest stamped on the back of the envelope. It was the Black crest. It featured a white skull on top of a red, blue and white shield like shape. An arm, encased in armour, jutted from the blue portion and into the red holding what looked like rapier. At the bottom, in the white portion, were three ravens. The banner read, 'Toujours Pur.'

Fudge cracked the wax seal and took out the letter. Even the parchment used carried the Black crest. He read the letter, twice. At the very bottom was a neat signature that read, 'Signed, Harry James Potter. Heir to the Noble and Ancient House of Potter, Heir to the Noble and Ancient House of Black.'

Fudge instantly fire called his top advisor. His office was warm and at the same time cluttered. A single fireplace stood in against the right wall, surrounded by very flammable items. Across from the fireplace sat his desk and a tall, ornate chair that was too grand and too much for the office. In the very front of his desk sat two plush chairs. His office was a reflection of him as a person. It was big and opulent but at the same time, full of nothing of importance.

When Lucius Malfoy stepped through the Floo, he was epitome of grace and poise. He kept his light, blond hair tied back with a single black ribbon. On his hands he wore expensive leather gloves and his dark green suit didn't have a wrinkle or a crease in it. In his hand he held his ever-present silver snakehead cane. The look on his face was cold and disdainful as he nodded politely to the minister.

Despite that, one could never accuse Lucius Malfoy of being anything other than a handsome aristocrat.

"You need my help with something?" his voice was just as severe as his outward appearance but it was soft and more chilling.

Fudge shivered a little and stripped over a few of his words. Finally he managed to convey that he had gotten a message from the Boy-Who-Lived with regard to Sirius Black. Lucius dismissed it but Fudge insisted that he at least read the letter.

"Very well." Lucius said. He removed his gloves, took the letter, hung his cane on the handle of the chair and sat down.

Like Fudge, he read the letter twice. He felt a rage headache coming, building just behind his right eye. Oh, Lucius Malfoy was very familiar with the style of the letter. The script itself was patchy in places and there were ink spots and smudges but the way the words were strung together and the structure of the paragraphs told him that his daughter had done what his favoured son couldn't do. She had befriended the Boy-Who-Lived and was even helping him write letters.

How did he know? He was familiar with the tactics used. The subtle threats, the forcefulness and steel hidden behind sweet words, even the mentioning of allies and consequences without sounding aggressive or rude. He knew those tactics well. He even used a few of them himself in order to get where he wanted.

It hadn't occurred to him before. Lyra was his daughter and she was a perfect combination of the Black family and the Malfoy family. The problem was that she was a perfect combination of the Black family and the Malfoy family. Once he got over his disappointment at her not being placed in Slytherin along side Draco where he could keep an eye on her, Lucius realised that her mind was sharp. She could match wits with almost any adult and win.

Still, despite his headache, Lucius couldn't help but feel a little impressed at his daughter. However, while he didn't know what she was really up to, that didn't mean he would let her get away with whatever it was she was planning. No.

An idea began to form in his head. He had the perfect idea to keep an eye on his wayward yet intelligent daughter.

Lucius gently folded the letter and smiled. He looked up at the minister. "Do as the child asks."

Fudge clutched his chest and Lucius rolled his eyes, discreetly, the rage headache began to recede but another kind of pain was beginning to take its place. It was the kind of pain one felt when dealing with idiots. Still, they had their place and their roles to play even if said roles were as pawns.

"If I do that, people will lose faith in the ministry! They will lose faith in the justice system! And lose faith in me!" Fudge blustered.

With a sigh, Lucius stood up. "Not if you frame it as you, the minister, going through the proper checks and balances. After all, an innocent man rotting in a prison built for the worst kinds of criminals is a terrible thing for our peace of mind."

Fudge nodded along. "What statement should I give the people?"

Lucius fixed himself and picked up his. "I would never presume to tell you, minister, how to do your job. I should think you'd like to mention that you hold no ill will toward your predecessors and you would never want the people to hold them in poor regard. After all, we were at war, even if the wrong thing was done for the right reason. Good day, minister."

Lucius walked to the door turned around and paused. "I have one request. Should Black be found innocent, it would only be fitting that he be put in the care of his family. He is Lady Malfoy's first cousin. We would be honoured to take him in as he recovers."

Fudge gave Lucius a smile and then frowned. "We cannot allow the Boy-Who-Lived to be treated poorly. He is a hero to the people."

"As he should be." Lucius said.

"Would you take him in? After all, he is the heir to the Black name and the dear Lady Malfoy is a Black by birth." Fudge said.

A triumphant light lit Lucius' eyes for a few seconds before it faded. He nodded. "The boy is family. We would be honoured to take him in."

Game on.

(INSERT LINE HERE)

With a week to go before the official end of school and exams officially done, Lyra still stayed in the library doing a bit of light reading. More often that not, Hermione joined her along with Luna and even Ginny Weasley. Lyra suspected there was more to the last one that had nothing to do with reading but she filed it away for later.

It was during one of these reading sessions where a rather spirited conversation was going on between Lyra and Luna about some theorem or another that Harry interrupted. Hermione would chime in every now and again with her take on certain stances and Ginny would sit perplexed because she didn't understand anything be talked about.

"Um, Lyra? Can I talk to you for a second?" Harry asked.

Lyra looked away from the discussion to frown in confusion. "Alright."

She got up and followed Harry out of the library into a secluded alcove. For his part, Harry seemed upset, even angry.

"What's wrong now?" Lyra asked.

Harry grunted and thrust an official piece of parchment at her. She looked down at the parchment for a few seconds then raised an eyebrow at Harry.

"Use your words." She said.

He cracked a smile at her sass. "Your family has agreed to take me in and upon the condition of his innocence, they have also agreed to take in Sirius Black."

Lyra snatched the parchment from Harry and read it over three times. She crumpled it in her fists and took a deep, calming breath.

"That decrepit, slimy son of a politician!" she hissed. "He has no business getting involved!"

"I take it you had no idea your father would do this." Harry said. He leaned against the wall and watched Lyra. She started to pace, something she often did when she was thinking but didn't have a book in front of her. Her teeth found her bottom lip and her hands flexed while she held the parchment.

"I knew that Fudge was incompetent but I had no idea he would call my father in on this. One of his other flunkies? Maybe. But definitely not my father. And why would he want both you and Sirius Black under his roof? You, I can understand. You're the boy-who-lived. Any family would be political gods if they had you. What I don't get is Black. He wouldn't need Black out of prison to get you, so why go along with this?" Lyra mind raced with possibilities.

Harry believed he. After all, Lyra didn't seem to even like her father all that much. Unlike Draco, Lyra never used her father as a threat unless she never had any intension of letting him know. And, while he couldn't tell because he wasn't that involved in their family life, Harry thought that Lucius Malfoy seemed more interested in controlling his daughter or getting her out of the way than anything else. He didn't seem as invested in Lyra as he was with Draco.

"So what should I do?" Harry asked.

"Send a letter of acceptance."

"What?" Harry exclaimed. "I know you don't know our history but your father and I haven't exactly been the best of friends and I don't ever want to have any sort of relationship with your brother. Plus, your dad sort of tried to murder Ron's little sister last year."

"My father? Are you certain?" Lyra asked.

"Well, he gave her a book and the book was basically cursed to kill her and all the muggle-born students in the school so…" He trailed off and averted his eyes from her critical stare. Her storm grey eyes bore into him and he fidgeted.

"You're lying." She said.

He spun, eyes bright like green fire. "I am not a liar!"

"If you're not lying then you're withholding something." She said, holding his gaze. He looked away. She smiled. "It's fine. You don't have to tell me."

He looked up. "What if it's something that stands in the way of your quest for power?" he asked

Lyra narrowed her eyes and stared up at Harry. "For your sake you better hope it's not. Now, you're going to write that acceptance letter."

Harry scowled. "I don't want to go, for all the reasons I told you."

"Didn't tell me," she said.

"Fine. For reason I don't wish to talk about, I am averse to saying yes." He said.

"Don't you want to know what my father has planned?" she asked with a light smirk on her lips.

Harry breathed in deeply. "I will admit to curiosity."

"So will I. And the best way to find out what he's up to is to be there while he's doing it." Lyra said.

Harry narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "You've come up with something."

Lyra's smirk turned into a mischievous grin. "How would you like to shake him up a bit?"

Harry leaned in closer. "I'm listening."

(INSERT LINE HERE)

Hermione didn't like Lyra's plan at all. It seemed too easy and at the same time entirely too complicated. Her plan was to have Lucius Malfoy's standing with his associates take a hit by forcing him to allow herself, Hermione Granger, adoptee of both the house of Potter and the house of Black, to come and stay at Malfoy Manor for as long as Harry was there.

It would look good politically, though. The Malfoy family, while they weren't averse to half bloods, they weren't the most welcoming when it came to persons of, 'lesser blood.' Hermione was one of those persons and she didn't feel safe staying at the manor despite Lyra's constant assurances that both she and Harry would be fine.

Even worse still, with only about a day and half left at school, Hermione Granger found herself called into Dumbledore's office along side Harry and surprisingly Draco Malfoy.

"Do you know why we're here?" She asked Harry in a whisper.

"I can guess." Harry said.

If she was to tell the truth, Hermione could guess too. The headmaster had found out about Harry staying with the Malfoys and about Hermione going along as well.

They both glanced at Draco as he maintained his ever present sneer.

"A galleon says he doesn't know." Harry whispered.

Hermione snorted. "Not even Ron's dumb enough to take that bet."

They both laughed then Harry frowned. "Speaking of, Ron's going to lose it when he finds out."

"Who says he has to know?" Hermione said.

"I don't know if Lyra rubbing off on you is good or bad." Harry said.

They stood off to the side, waiting for Dumbledore to arrive while Draco walked around looked at books and fingering object. Fawkes watched them from his perch, more curious than anything.

Hermione moved closer. "Speaking of, how are you okay with this plan?"

"I'm not, especially after last year. But, Lyra's right. This is the best way for us to figure out what he's up to. And, while it's horribly petty and a bit immature, think of how difficult it will be for Lord Lucius Malfoy to explain to the more unsavoury members of society that he allowed a muggle-born to stay in his manor." Harry said.

Hermione grinned but before she could respond, Dumbledore strode into the room in a flurry of colour and sparkled followed by Snape's more subdued and dour dress sense. Both Harry and Hermione looked at one another. Snape was several different shades of red and Harry wasn't sure but he would swear up and down that there was smoke coming out of his ears.

"Harry, my dear boy! I heard the news! Though, I must confess, I am a bit saddened that you didn't see fit to tell me yourself." Dumbledore said in his most jovial manor.

Again, Harry and Hermione looked at one another. It was quick and born out of exasperation.

"Honestly, sir, I'm still processing it myself." Harry said.

Dumbledore nodded and turned to Hermione. "And miss Granger! It seems congratulations are in order!"

Hermione nodded. "Thank you, sir."

Dumbledore smiled and produced a letter. He handed it to Draco with a smile. The blond heir had been uncharacteristically quiet and stared at the letter. It was black, tied with a gold ribbon and sealed with the Malfoy crest.

Draco took the letter and opened it. He read it four time and crumpled it in his hand. He looked up at Snape.

"Is this real?" He asked.

"I tried to convince your father not to but Malfoy's do what they want." Snape said.

"I see." He nodded to Dumbledore and to Snape, turned and stood in front of Harry and Hermione.

"It seems we will be spending the summer together. Granger. Potter." He gave them both stiff bows, which they both returned, and left the room.

"He took that rather well. I think Malfoy might be growing up." Hermione said, impressed.

Harry, who knew Lyra fairly well and had witnessed two tantrums when she didn't get her way, knew better.

"Just wait for it." Harry said.


	13. Chapter 13

Even though Harry and Hermione weren't around to witness it, the blow up was spectacular. With the Slytherin common room mostly empty, Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott watch in awe and slight fear as curses, some very frowned upon but not illegal, were thrown around willy-nilly.

In the middle of all the chaos, Draco Malfoy wielded his wand with deadly proficiency. Rage light his grey eyes and turned them so dark, they were almost black. His frame radiated anger as he destroyed furniture and blew apart walls, all of which simply kept repairing themselves, adding to his rage.

Through it all, aside from Blaise and Theodore, Lyra sat calmly, reading a book. While the other two boys occasionally had to run and dodge around flying debris and stray curses, Lyra sat unperturbed.

Draco turned to her. "How can you sit there and act like this isn't all your fault?"

Lyra ignored him. He bristled and raised his wand. She put her book down, stood up and raised hers.

"You might be older, brother but do you really wish to pit your knowledge of spells against mine?" Lyra asked. Her words were mild but her tone was not. She was just as unhappy as he was; she was simply better at hiding it.

Draco lowered his wand and convinced himself that it wasn't because he was afraid of his younger sister. Lyra's mind was scary. She was a sponge but not only did she soak up information, she knew how to use it. Plus, even if Lyra won by a fluke, he would never be able to look his friends in the eyes again.

"How are you okay with all of this?" he asked, calmer. He still hadn't put away his wand but Lyra did.

"Oh," she said, feigning innocence. "Are you quite done with your temper tantrum and ready to speak like a civilized person?"

Draco flushed at the rebuke. Blaise and Theodore snorted. They watched the battle of wills between the Malfoy siblings with a mix of intrigue and trepidation.

"You know my history with them, Lyra."

"I know only what you tell me, Draco."

Draco put his wand away and shook his head. "Why would you do this?"

"As much as I want to take the credit, I'm afraid I was outmanoeuvred."

Draco frowned. "By?"

Lyra shook her head. "Really, Dragon. Who is the one person in our family willing to do something like this?"

Realization lit Draco's face before it was hit by guilt and regret. Lyra simply smiled, sweet and devious.

"I think a basket of German chocolate will do nicely as an apology." She said.

"Anything you wish." Draco said.

And just like that, everything was all right again.

-(INSERT LINE HERE)-

In the Gryffindor common room, things were equally tense. Hermione and Harry, through some friendship obligation, had told Ron where Harry was going to spend summer and where Hermione was going to spend half of the summer.

Lyra had wanted her there for the whole summer, something about evening the odds but Hermione, politely but firmly, told her that she wanted to spend some time with her parents and talk to them face to face about what was going on with her life at Hogwarts. Surprisingly, Lyra understood and said that she looked forward to July when Hermione would be coming to stay until September.

As it stood, Harry and Hermione faced off with Ron, both parties standing on opposite sides of the room with Neville in the middle of it all once again.

"Now that you've found out about your fancy pureblood titles, you too good for me and my family, aye, Potter?" Ron spat out the words with venom, like they tasted rancid on this tongue.

Neville sighed, heavy and loud. It echoed across the empty room. He had stayed because he wanted to talk to both Harry and Hermione about possibly visiting them over the summer at Malfoy manor. Now that Harry was at least a little caught up about his titles and the like, he would need allies and friends in his own house to help him out. Plus, Neville, even though he was a proponent of the littlest Malfoy, he still didn't trust her.

Oh, he knew she was a lot more trustworthy than her brother and her father but she was still a Malfoy. They always had plans and machinations going on. Well, maybe not Draco Malfoy. It seemed the political tact skipped him and went to his sister. Word was, though he couldn't be sure, that Lyra Malfoy had a network of information going on through out the castle. Neville felt that just in case it was actually true, someone should watch out for Harry when Hermione wasn't around to do it.

"As I told you before, Ron. All of this is out of my hands. Even Dumbledore can't do anything about it." Harry voice was bland, tired even. It made both Neville and Hermione smile.

"How can you be okay with this, Harry? They're Malfoys!" Ron said.

"Oh, are we back to Harry now?" Harry snarked.

Hermione hid a grin behind her hand. Lyra was rubbing off on him.

Ron turned to her. "How can you even think to let him do this? You're supposed to be the smart one!"

Harry bristled on his behalf as well as hers. Hermione simply blinked. "Let him?

I'm not letting him. He made a decision and as his friend and his recognized sister, I stand with him."

"They're Malfoys!" Ron said.

"They're my legal guardians now and Hermione's when she's in the wizarding world, at least they are until Sirius gets his trial." Harry said.

"You'd choose them over me and my family?" Ron asked.

Harry shook his head. "Never. Like I said before, it's temporary, only until Sirius is deemed fit to take care of us." Harry said.

Ron, for once, listened and took in the words. "So you didn't plan to stay with them?"

Harry shook his head, surprised but the loss of fight in Ron. "No. Lyra told me to write to the minister to see if I could get Sirius a fair trial. That's it."

Ron nodded, then he smiled at them. "Good Summer, then!"

At this, both Harry and Hermione grimaced.

-(INSERT LINE HERE)-

The train ride was uneventful. Ron was the only one that seemed happy. The closer they got to the train station, the deeper Harry's scowl became. Lyra didn't sit with them, instead opting to keep Luna's company. Ginny, however did accompany them. She kept trying to initiate conversation. Neither Harry nor Hermione were in amicable moods, however.

"It's really a shame you won't be coming to stay with us over the summer, Harry." Ginny said.

"Is it?" Harry mumbled under his breath, still a bit ticked off at Ron.

Hermione snorted but hid it with a cough and elbowed Harry in the gut. She held a large tome that she got from Lyra in her hands and read it while half tuning into the conversation.

"Yes, it is." Ginny continued seemingly unaware or simply uncaring of Harry's response. "We'll be missing out time to get to know one another. After all, you and Hermione are practically family."

Hermione glanced up from her book to look at Harry's face. She saw the unintentional insult hot on his tongue so she stepped in.

"This is a good thing." She said. "After last year, we know Lucius Malfoy is up to no good so what better way to find out what he's planning than to be right under his nose?"

Her words did the trick. After the mention of the past year, Ginny fell quiet. She lowered her eyes and stayed silent the rest of the trip. Harry met Hermione's eyes and mouthed a silent, 'thank you.'

The rest of the ride came and went in silence.

-(INSERT LINE HERE)-

King's Cross Station was jam packed with parents and guardians waiting to pick up their precious bundles. Lucius Malfoy stood with his wife beside him. He had wanted to come alone but she wouldn't take no for an answer.

Narcissa Malfoy with her long blonde hair tied up and away from her face, her beautiful sculpted features and her icy yet unavoidably blue eyes was the love of his life though, Lucius would never openly admit to it. She knew it to be true and the reverse was also true but like her husband, she should never admit it.

When the Malfoys stood together, they were a sight to behold. Both were beautiful and haughty and coldly disdainful of everyone around them.

The train pulled into the station and the kids got off with much fuss. It was suddenly loud and cheerful and slightly weepy. Parents hugged their offspring while the young wizards in training grinned from ear to ear, babbling about their Hogwarts journey.

Draco disembarked and immediately strode over to his parents.

"Mother." He said with a light smile. He kissed her cheek and her countenance softened just a bit as she looked at her only son who was very close to reaching her in height.

"Darling." She said. She brushed a lock of hair from his forehead but made no further parental gesture.

Draco turned and nodded to Lucius, stiff and angry. "Father."

Lucius raised an eyebrow but nodded back all the same.

"Son." He looked around, with just his eyes. "Where are your sister and our special guest?"

Draco scowled heavily. "Lyra was further back on the train. She'll no doubt run into Potter. They have a knack for finding each other." The words were bitter.

Narcissa caught the odd turn of phrase and resolved to question both her son and her daughter about it. She had a feeling. Mothers know these kinds of things. Something was off with Draco.

She turned her eyes to scanning the crowd as well. She wasn't disappointed. Lyra and Potter came strolling through the crowd together, side-by-side, and smiling at something or another. Narcissa Malfoy narrowed her eyes at how close they were and easy familiarity with which they interacted with one another. She watched Lyra absentmindedly brush a stray curl from her face and tuck it behind her ear. She watched Potter smile at her fondly and she watched that smile turn into a grin when the curl popped back into her face. She watched Lyra berate the boy about something or another and she watched him allow her words, whatever they were to roll off of him like water off of a ducks back.

The wheels in her head started turning.

Lucius Malfoy watched the youngsters as well. His wheels turned as well but only to figure out what Lyra Gemini Malfoy could possibly be up to. He had an inkling of how her mind worked and he need to make sure that she fell in line with his plans.

"I see you two are well acquainted." He said once they got close enough.

Lyra gave him a dimpled smile. "Father. Everyone knows the boy-who-lived. He's our resident Hogwarts celebrity."

She placed a hand on Harry's chest. The look on her face turned challenging. Harry scratched the back of his head with a nervous laugh. Narcissa and Draco simply looked on in amused exasperation. You wouldn't be able to tell just by looking but Lyra knew her family.

"I suppose he is." Lucius conceded.

Lyra's smile turned saccharine her gaze shifted to her mother. "Mother."

This time, Narcissa Malfoy did smile, a gentle upturn of her lips. She reached out and tugged at one of Lyra's curls.

"Angel." She said.

Lucius cleared his throat. Lyra's smile dropped. He stepped forward and extended a hand to Harry.

"It is a pleasure to have you with us for the summer, Mister Potter."

In a way that Harry probably thought was discreet, he glanced at Lyra. She inclined her head in a slight nod. His gaze slid back to Lucius. He accepted his hand with slight bow.

"Indeed, a pleasure, sir." Harry said.

Narcissa watched the exchange with an eagle eye. It was amusing yet slightly disconcerting the ease in which Potter deferred to Lyra. Of course Narcissa knew what kind of child she had even if she was forced to have little part in her upbringing for the last seven years. She and Lyra kept in contact and she knew the way the girl's mind worked. These next few months, particularly with Lyra's birthday coming up, would be very interesting.

It was so quick that Narcissa nearly missed it. Lyra nudged Potter and he coughed.

"Mister Malfoy." He said.

Lucius turned to him with a raised eyebrow. "Yes, Mister Potter?"

"I'm not sure that you're aware but recently I recognized Hermione, as in Hermione Granger, Muggle-born, as is my right as heir to the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black. She is now under my care and charge when she is with in the bounds of the Wizarding World…" Harry started to ramble.

"Your point, Mister Potter?" Lucius asked. However calm and collected he seemed, Lyra watched him grip his snakehead cane tighter. She watched the lines around his forehead and mouth crease. She watched as his back became rigid and she smiled.

"Hermione will of course have to stay with me while here as is protocol. I just thought I should make you aware of this as you are my guardian for now." Harry said.

Lucius nodded abruptly. He turned and began to walk away with Narcissa following behind him. Lyra trotted after him.

"Oh, Father?" she called out.

Lucius stopped his stride and turned to face his only daughter with a cold look. Lyra got in close and smiled up at him. He raised an eyebrow.

"Checkmate." She said.

Lucius raised his hand and placed it on her head. They made eye contact. He walked away with Narcissa right behind him.

Both Draco and Harry stayed behind to watch Lyra. When Lucius walked away with Narcissa, they came forward and started walking with Lyra.

"Are you sure you want to start a war with your father?" Harry asked. "I mean, isn't that kind of like poking a bear?"

"A bear?" Draco asked, trying to imagine Lucius Malfoy as a bear.

"Maybe not a bear." Harry conceded. "A dragon then?"

The Malfoy siblings nodded. It was an accurate description of the current Malfoy Patriarch.

"I suppose it is." She said.

She took to walking between the two older wizards.

"Isn't that a bit dangerous? I mean Lucius Malfoy is dangerous." Harry said.

"Loathed as I am to admit this, Potter's right. Father is dangerous." Draco said with a scowl.

"You're both right. He is dangerous. But, then again, so am I." Lyra said. "Don't worry so much. I can handle myself and my father."

Draco shook his head. He knew she right and so very wrong. Lyra was smart. The problem was that she was a Malfoy and a Black. That pureblood arrogant cockiness bred true in her so she, like many other purebloods tended to overestimate herself and underestimate her opponents. Fortunately, their father was also a victim of the same fatal flaw.

Harry shook his head. "It must run in the family."

"Something wrong with my family, Potter?" Draco spat.

"A great many things too numerous to list." Harry answered.

Both he and Draco scowled at one another, a sure fire indicator of things to come during the summer.


	14. Chapter 14

Arriving at Malfoy Manor was interesting. Really, the Malfoy's themselves were interesting. At least they were to Harry who had thought of them as more evil than an actual family, with Lyra being the exception of course. Now, alone with them, he was finally able to observe the dynamics.

Narcissa Malfoy clearly ran the house even though Lucius seemed to do what he wanted when he wanted. Draco was doted upon by both of his parents while Lyra seemed to be left to her own devices most of the time. That last bit Harry didn't understand. Why would they leave Lyra to do what she wanted when she wanted? Lucius Malfoy seemed like a man who enjoyed control.

He got the answer to as soon as they all stepped through the floo and into the entrance hall. They were greeted by house elves in pillowcases with the Malfoy Family crest stitched into them. There was something endearingly sweet about the floppy eared, bug eyed, big nosed little creatures.

"Did little miss be enjoying Hoggy warts?" asked one of the creatures. Harry turned and found that it was speaking to Lyra while taking her robes.

"It was fine, I suppose. Nothing like Beauxbatons, the classes are so much easier." Lyra said.

"Well, little missy is being very smart." The elf said.

"If you miss France so much, why not go and visit?" Lucius suggested.

"Really, father?" Lyra asked, sceptical.

"Of course. You'll go tomorrow. I'll make arrangements with our cousins. They would love to see you." He said.

"How long would I be away for?" she asked.

"How does three weeks sound?"

Lyra smiled in delight. However, throughout the conversation, Harry watched Narcissa's face. Gone was the warmth she had when greeting her children and the glow she had when arriving at the manor. Now her face, while still beautiful, was cold. If anything, Harry would say that she was angry. He watched as she turned and walked away.

Lyra watched as well then turned her attention back to her father. "It will be absolutely delightful to see the others again. Why just last week I received a letter from cousin Atria asking about visiting once the school year was up. I wrote her back to tell her that I didn't know if I would be able to make it. It's so nice that I get to surprise her. She and cousin Didier will be so pleased! You know, she told be about a dress she bought for the Imbolc celebrations next year and I can't wait to see it."

Lucius stood and listened to his daughter prattle. Harry watched him. It was very clear why Lyra was left to herself. She was very capable of talking a lot and yet saying nothing of substance. Small talk really. Harry watched as Lucius Malfoy took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"I'm sure your cousins will be thrilled." He turned to Harry. "When you're finished looking around and you've found your room, I'd like a word. Have Flopsy bring you to my study."

He nodded to them. Then he turned and strode out of the room in the same direction as his wife. Lyra watched him go with a smirk.

"You're surprisingly sneaky, Lyra." Harry said.

"Whatever do you mean?" she asked, the picture of innocence.

Draco snorted. "Why do you really want to go to France?"

"I don't, not really. Cousin Atria is lovely and I really do want to see her dress but it can wait until Yule. No. Father has something planned and I want to know what that is." Lyra said.

Draco shook his head.

Harry frowned. "Wouldn't it make more sense to be here?"

Lyra shook her head and her dark curls bounced. "If I'm here, he'll be more secretive and it will be harder to find out."

Draco narrowed his eye. "You want me to spy on father?"

"No." Lyra said. "I want you to distract father. And mother to a lesser extent. Potter would make a much better spy."

"What's in it for me?" Draco asked.

Lyra narrowed her eyes. "If you don't help me, I'll tell Weasley about that time you were eight and found a dung beetle."

"I'll do it of you polish my Quidditch gear." Draco said quickly, flushing red.

"I'll give you half of my allowance for the new school year and I wont tell Weasley." Lyra countered.

Draco nodded. "Half of your allowance and be my partner duelling partner for the summer."

"Your duelling is atrocious! Potter's here, partner with him. Merlin knows you both need the practice. No deal. I'm telling Weasley."

"Fine." Draco said, crossing his arms. "Half of your allowance and I want in."

"In?" Lyra asked.

"Yes. I want in on whatever it is you're planning, now and in the future. No more secrets." Draco said.

Lyra mulled it over. Harry watched the two siblings haggle with one another in awe. It was a bit strange to him that Draco wouldn't dote on his little sister the way he'd seen the older Weasley boys dote on Ginny. Instead, he actively took part in pushing her buttons but at the same time, Harry could tell that he was fearsomely protective of her.

"A third of my allowance, I tell you my plans and Weasley never finds out your deep dark secret." Lyra said. She put out her hand.

Draco eyed the hand, nodded and then grasped it. They shook hands.

"Tell me everything." Draco said.

Lyra told him almost everything.

-(INSERT LINE HERE)-

"How dare you." The words were almost whispered. They were cold and weighed heavy in the silence of the vast room.

Lucius Malfoy's study was grand. Somehow, it suited him. Books lined the walls, the fireplace roared and crackled with life. In one corner stood an antique oak table with a plush, red, high backed chair and a circular animal skin rug. In front of the desk was a long, maroon leather couch.

Lucius sat behind his desk pretending to work while Narcissa loomed in front of the desk, staring down at him.

"Please sit down, Cissa." He said.

"Not until you provide me a plausible explanation for why you're sending my daughter away, again." Narcissa replied.

"I need her out of the way for a while." Lucius said, still not looking up.

"Out of the way?" Narcissa repeated. "Did you even want another child?"

At this, Lucius looked up. "You know I did."

"Then why do you continue to send her away from us? From me?" Narcissa asked.

Lucius stood. "I thought you had forgiven me for that."

Narcissa shook her head and looked away from him. "I thought I had as well."

Lucius came around the desk and embraced her. She stood stiff in his arm, still angry. He kissed her hair, then her forehead and finally her lips. It was a chaste kiss. "You know why we had to send her away. Why I had to send her away. If anyone had found out how she came to be, both you and I would see the inside of Azkaban leaving Draco without parents and Lyra dead. We couldn't risk it."

Narcissa pulled away. "And now?"

Lucius pulled away as well. "Now? Now she'll get in my way."

Narcissa took a step back, composed herself and regarded her husband with a cool, level stare. Then she nodded.

"Your way." She repeated. "She had better be back before her birthday."

Narcissa turned and left the room. Lucius let out a sigh, returned to his desk and picked up a piece of parchment.

-(INSERT LINE HERE)

Malfoy manor was huge. Harry, who actually liked exploring, got lost quite a few times. Lyra had gone off to pack and Draco left shortly after not wanting to be around him. That left Harry alone to try and find his room.

After nearly an hour of searching and being wrong, he managed to find a library, the kitchen, two bathrooms and a duelling hall but no bedrooms. Finally he caved and called Flopsy.

She was the same house elf that greeted Lyra upon their arrival. She was small and a greyish green colour. Her ears were large and floppy and her eyes large and bug like. She was kind of cute in a wrinkly sort of way, and nothing like Dobby.

"Little Miss' Potter be wanting something?" she asked.

"Yes. Thank you. Could you please take me to my room? I can't seem to find it." Harry said.

The little creature smiled and snapped her spindly fingers. Harry felt a weird pull, the room spun and then he was in a bedroom. He stumbled a bit and fought with the lightheaded feeling.

"Thanks." He said.

The little creature nodded and popped away. The room was lovely but a bit muted. The colour scheme was a lot of dark greens, silvers, browns and blacks, expected really. The bed was a canopy with frills and lace, a bit feminine but very chic and expensive.

In one corner stood a large armoire, and in another, a floor length hanging mirror. The room even had a large, ornate vanity complete with a cushioned chair and torches. Near the bed was a Victorian style chaise lounge in the same colour scheme as the room. Muted, but very nice. Still, the room felt warm and welcoming.

Beside the bed sat all of Harry's things in a neat pile. He put his things away and eventually, sat on the bed and took in the room.

Flopsy popped back into the room. "Is Little Miss' Potter be ready to see Master?"

Harry nodded and once again, Flopsy snapped her fingers and the odd pulling sensation came and went. The room swirled and then he was in Lucius Malfoy's study.

Once again he stumbled but this time he fell.

"I don't like that." He said from his knees.

"It is an odd feeling." Lucius Malfoy said from behind his desk.

Harry hopped up and fought with the swaying in his head. He brushed himself off and fumbled a bit.

"Oh, um. You wanted to see me, Mister Malfoy?"

"Hm." The sound was casual but Harry, being very familiar with Malfoys, could hear the disdain and disapproval in the tone.

Lucius Malfoy sat behind his desk looking like the aristocrat he was. Everything on his desk was neat and well organized. He sat, leaning forward slightly with one hand folded a little near his chin and the other resting on the desk. He seemed comfortable but one could never accuse him of slouching.

Even though he knew he was safe for the time being, Harry could admit to being very nervous and intimidated. This was a man that tried to kill a student last year and got away with it.

Harry fidgeted under that direct and assessing gaze.

"I'm afraid I must apologize, Mister Potter. We seem to have gotten off on the wrong foot when last we met." Lucius said.

"Huh?" Harry asked.

"I am issuing you an apology, Mister Potter." Lucius said again, this time slowly, like one would to a particularly dense child. Harry frowned at that.

"You don't owe me one. It's the Weasley's you should apologize to. After all you did almost get their only daughter killed." Harry regretted the words almost the instant he uttered them but it was too late to back down now. So, he stood his ground, jutted out his chin and maintained eye contact.

For his part, Lucius' countenance before Harry's world could have been considered warm, at least for him. Now, his eyes were like arctic ice sheet and his face was glacial. There was no trace of warmth in this expression or his posture.

"Why, Mister Potter, I have no recollection of the event in question." The words were sub-zero. Harry flinched but he did back down a bit and lowered his eyes.

Lucius leaned forward, expression still cold, maybe even a little angry. He stared at Harry's face until finally Harry fidgeted and looked up.

"I'm sorry. Sometimes my mouth runs away and my head has to play catch-up." Harry said.

Lucius stared a bit longer before he nodded. Nothing about his countenance really changed but the room felt warmer and Harry was no longer as nervous.

"Hm." This sound was more an acknowledgement of words than anything else.

Harry averted his eyes and fidgeted more.

"Tell me about your godfather." Lucius said.

Harry looked up. "I only just found out about him."

"Yes. How did you find out?" Lucius was fishing for information.

Harry opened his mouth to respond and then stopped. Thanks to getting to know Lyra and even to a certain extent Draco, he could see that any response given could be an opening to a minefield. He knew that with Lucius Malfoy he would have to tread very carefully.

"It was Hermione." He lied. "She's very clever."

"Ah yes, the mu- muggle born girl."

A frown flitted across Harry's face as he caught the slip up but wisely, and he'd like to think that it was due to Lyra's influence, he kept quiet.

"Yes sir." He said.

"The trial is in two weeks."

Harry couldn't quite keep the smile from his face but then frowned as he remembered Lyra wouldn't be there to coach him.

"So soon?" Harr asked.

"Yes, Mister Potter. The minister was quite adamant that this be done as soon as possible. You're a celebrity and the our world owes you a debt." Lucius said with a curl of his lips.

Harry frowned harder. He didn't like the way Lucius said those words but he wisely kept his misgivings to himself.

"Now," Lucius continued. "I know this will be difficult for you and you likely have questions. Being raised by fi- muggles is unfortunate but rest assured, if you have any questions or concerns, my door is always open."

Harry felt relieved and at the same time uneasy at hearing that. What could Lucius Malfoy's end-game possibly be?

"Thank you, sir." Harry said, suspicious but grateful.

"Think nothing of it, Mister Potter. You're family." Lucius said.

Harry took that as his queue to leave the office. He had a lot of tell Lyra before she left. Plus he would need to get her advice on how to handle the trial. He'd never been to court before. Still, he had a feeling that once Lyra left, things would get very tricky.


	15. Chapter 15

Harry and Draco sat on Lyra's bed and watched her dart around the room selecting clothing and other items to place into her bag. After his meeting with Lucius, Harry immediately called Flopsy and had her take him to Lyra. Both Lyra and Draco happened to be there when he popped into the room and collapsed onto the floor.

It took him a moment to gather his bearings but after a while he was able to stand and move to the bed to sit with Draco. He recounted the meeting and told Lyra about his misgivings and his suspicions. He even told her how he thought that Lucius was trying to gain his confidence.

Lyra paused in her movements and shrugged. "Let him."

"What?" Harry asked.

"Let him. Nothing makes our father happier than thinking he's getting his way. If he wants to gain your trust, let him. Go to him. Ask him questions. For the three weeks I'm gone, stick to him like glue."

"Won't he pick up on that? I mean wont it be obvious, what I'm doing, I mean?" Harry asked.

Lyra snorted. "How long have you known Draco?"

"Since first year." Harry responded.

"How have you not picked up on the fact that Malfoy's are blessed or cursed, depending on how you look at it, with a certain level of arrogance that blinds us to certain things?" Lyra said.

"Oh, I picked up on it. I just thought that maybe Lucius Malfoy would be exempt."

It was Draco's turn to snort. "Are you sure you've met our father?"

"Don't you idolize him? What happened to, 'Wait until my father hears about this'?" Harry asked, mocking Draco.

The blond scowled in return. Lyra got in the middle of them.

"Enough of that. We're all on the same side here." She turned to Draco. "You're going shopping with mother tomorrow, leaving Potter with father."

Harry and Draco stared at each other then turned to look at Lyra.

"Can't we switch jobs?" Harry asked.

"Yes. I'd much rather spend the day with father." Draco said.

"Narcissa Malfoy seems lovely." Harry said.

Lyra crossed her arms. "How are you going to spy on him, if you don't spend any time with him? And Draco, mother needs a distraction. It would hurt her poor heart to know that while one child will be gone for three weeks, the other doesn't wish to spend time with her."

Draco's scowl deepened but Harry was impressed. It was overt and very transparent but Lyra knew just what to say to get her brother to do what she wanted.

"I don't like shopping." Draco gritted out.

"You wanted in." Lyra said. "Now you're in."

"Fine." Draco said.

"Lovely." Lyra said.

Harry just laughed and shook his head.

-(INSERT LINE HERE)-

When Lyra left the next day, so did Draco and Narcissa, much to Draco's chagrin. Harry couldn't help but smile at the way Narcissa's face lit up when Draco asked to go with her on her shopping trip. His smile grew wider at the glare Draco shot his way.

Now, he wasn't smiling because he had been left with Lucius Malfoy. So, instead of doing what Lyra wanted, Harry distracted himself by going to one of the libraries and exploring. Eventually that got terribly boring so Harry went back to his rooms to maybe start on some summer homework. That got drab a couple minutes in so Harry finally resigned himself to completing his mission.

When he got to the doors to Lucius Malfoy's office, they were closed. He knocked and waited.

"Enter."

The words were calm and very cold. Harry steeled himself and went it. The room hadn't changed from the last time he was there. Harry took it upon himself to sit down on the couch, back rigid, and stare at Lucius as he bent over his desk reading and signing parchments.

"I assume you want something." Lucius said, without looking up.

Harry flinched. "Yes sir. I was wondering if you could tell me more about the court proceedings here in the wizarding world. I mean, I don't mean to bother you and normally I'd ask Lyra or even Mal- Draco but they're not here and …"

Harry trailed off as Lucius looked up and regarded him for what seemed like forever.

"I see." Lucius said.

And he did see. Lyra had probably told the boy to just go with whatever he wanted. Truthfully, the boy was inconsequential to the game he was playing with his daughter. He wanted to know what she was up to and she wanted to know what he was up to. Both were far too stubborn to simply ask and far too arrogant to let it go.

Yes a great many of his plans involved Harry Potter but if Lyra conflicted with those plans then something would have to be done, regardless of how Lyra or his wife felt about it.

As such, Lucius decided to go along with Lyra's poor attempt at spying and decided to let the boy ingratiate himself to him.

Lucius put down his quill. "What would you like to know?"

Harry took a deep breath.

-(INSERT LINE HERE)-

Narcissa Malfoy was not a dumb woman, nor was she meek or mild-mannered. Instead she was a smart woman that could play the game just as well as her husband. She was quick witted when she needed to be and her mind was sharp and devious. As a Slytherin and a Black, she could be nothing else. Even so, she knew when to step back and allow her husband to take the reins.

Now as she walked through Diagon Alley with her son, Narcissa put her cunning and sharp mind to use.

From the moment she saw Harry Potter and Lyra together at the train station, the wheels in her head started turning. After all, Narcissa Malfoy was a mother.

"Darling, tell me about Potter." She said to Draco as they strolled from store front to store front. Behind them, to house elves carried packages.

Draco eyed his mother. "What would you like to know, Mother?"

"Who are his allies? What subjects does he take? How did he meet Lyra? What does he want?" she asked.

Draco frowned a little. "Potter and I are not friends, Mother. We're not even acquaintances."

"Do not take me for a fool, Dragon. I know that Lucius has had you spying on the boy and on Lyra." Narcissa said, voice still quiet.

They entered a shop that sold high-end gowns.

"Why are you so interested in Potter?"

"I'm not. Not really. The boy is a Black by blood, however distant and he has a lot of political clout." Narcissa turned to her only son. "I strongly encourage you to make nice with him."

She fingered a nice black, spider silk gown with emerald green embroidery and ruby red accents. The gown hung with large bell sleeves and a full skirt.

Draco narrowed his eyes. "You're trying to make a match."

Narcissa laughed, elegant and dainty. "Merlin no, Darling. I want to know about the boy who has caught my only daughter's attention."

Draco's scowl returned, fierce and protective. "Attention?"

"I rather think it's mutual. I do so love weddings." Narcissa said.

She walked away and out of the store. Draco followed, glaring at any and everything that moved.

-(INSERT LINE HERE)-

The French countryside Malfoy Châteaux was a truly stunning place. It stood on a grassy hill overlooking a pristine lake. It was decadent and ethereal and it felt like home to Lyra.

Cousin Atria was a tall, something Lyra loathed her for. She had the typical Malfoy blond hair and silver eyes. Her skin was pale and soft and she had a presence that drew people in. Lyra was a beauty in her own right but she was shorter and darker and most people never even assumed the two girls were related.

Cousin Didier was just like Lyra, short and dark with storm grey eyes and a light curl to his natural hair. When together, people always assumed that they were brother and sister instead of distant cousins.

"So, mon petit cousin ( _my little cousin_ ), how is life dans les îles Britanniques ( _in the British Isles_ ), treating you?" he asked with a thick, heavy French accent.

Didier two years older than Lyra and Atria but he was shorter than Atria who stretched to almost six feet tall.

"Tu n'es pas beaucoup plus grand que moi ( _You're not that much taller than me_ ). Still, it is, passable. Certainly not as fulfilling ou comme agréable ( _or as fun/enjoyable_ ) but, there are things that interest me." Lyra said.

All three cousins were lying on Atria's bed in a shockingly pastel pink room. That was another difference between Lyra and Atria. Atria was horribly girly and feminine where as Lyra was a bit more practical.

"C'est tres ennuyeux!( _That's boring_ ) What of the boys? Comment sont les garçons Anglais?" ( _What are the English boys like_?) Atria said. Lyra wasn't quite there yet but Atria was at the age where she noticed boys and boys noticed her.

"Just as stupid as the French boys." Lyra said.

There were only two boys that Lyra really had any use for, her brother and one Harold James Potter. All the others were horribly boring and very silly, at least in her limited experience. Not that she would ever tell Atria that. No, she rather liked her taller, more slender cousin and she knew that telling her would only result in a tiff.

Oddly enough, she didn't count Didier as a boy. Being two years older, he was even older than Draco with his fifteenth birthday happening in July, a week before Lyra's.

"Are you certain you cannot stay for my party, cher cousin?" Didier's question drew Lyra out of her thoughts.

Lyra smiled. "I would love to. However, that would be cutting it far too close. I must get back in time for my own celebrations."

"I still do not understand why it is that you cannot have your party here, for old time sake." He said.

"Mother is looking forward to throwing one. Elle est très excitée. I could not possibly ruin that for her." Lyra said.

Didier sat up. "Si votre mère est si contre, pourquoi votre père vous envoie-t-il?" ( _If your mother is so against it, why does your father send you off?_ )

"It is complicated." Lyra said.

"So many things are." Atria said.

All three cousins lapsed into a moody silence.

-(INSERT LINE HERE)-

Harry didn't ever think the day would come where he could consider Draco Malfoy a companion. As it stood, he would have much rather hung around with him that sit in Lucius Malfoy's office to observe him. Lyra had been gone a week and Harry was liking her plan less and less.

"Is there something you'd rather be doing, mister Potter?" Lucius asked.

Harry looked up and blinked. He sat on the comfortable sofa. Lucius stared at him from his desk.

"Sir?" Harry asked.

"You seem terribly bored." Lucius said.

Harry narrowed his eyes in suspicion. He regarded Lucius and noted the shine in his eyes and the small almost imperceptible upturn of his lips. The Boy-Who-Lived shook his head with a wry smile.

"I'm sorry, sir. I guess I just miss Lyra." Harry said.

Childish at it seemed, Harry took great pleasure in watching that light fade and that upturn turn into a frown. He watched as Lucius Malfoy sat up straight.

"What exactly is your interest in my daughter, mister Potter?" Lucius asked. Draco had reported the conversation he had had with Narcissa and at first, Lucius dismissed it but finding out that Potter was close enough to Lyra to actively miss her, bothered him.

Still, Lucius Malfoy was a savvy man and knew better than to approach Narcissa over the matter seeing as how she was still angry over him sending Lyra to France.

Harry mulled over the many possible responses he could give to Lucius and finally settled on the one he knew would irritate the eldest Malfoy the most.

"Interest, sir?" he asked, the picture of innocence.

Lucius clenched his jaw. "Yes, mister Potter. Your interest."

Harry furrowed his brow. "She's twelve, sir."

Lucius eyed Harry and Harry kept the confusion on his face. He knew what Lucius Malfoy was hinting at but refused to give him the satisfaction of having an open and honest conversation about it. Truthfully, he didn't even know if he could be honest since he really didn't understand his feeling himself.

Lyra was the first girl he ever really thought about like that. She was pretty enough and there was something about her that made him smile. And, even though it annoyed him at times, he liked that she was bossy and sassy and that she always seemed to know what she was doing. He also liked that she was helpful, sweet and kind hearted. She wasn't judgemental or mean spirited.

Still, there were things about Lyra that he didn't like. For a twelve-year-old, she was power hungry and truthfully, he didn't know much about her. She was prone to keeping secrets and he really didn't know if she had friends. They were more like pawns in whatever power play she was making and he didn't like that too much. Even after all of that, Harry could help but feel a little tingly when he remembered her smile or the feel of her when they were pressed against that wall.

Because of all of those reasons, Harry was willing to go along with whatever scheme Lyra had going, at least until he figured out what he was feeling and why.

"I suppose you're right, mister Potter." Lucius said after a long time.

Harry gave the Malfoy patriarch a lop-sided grin. "Yes sir. I actually did want to talk to you. Sirius Trial is next week, have you heard if he's given himself in yet?"

Lucius gave Harry a very direct stare. "You would know more than I would."

Harry's eyes widened for a split second before he morphed his face into on of confusion. "How would I know?" he asked.

Lucius nodded. "Well done. I almost believed you. You need to work on not showing surprise on your face."

Harry nodded. "About Sirius?"

Lucius sighed.


	16. Chapter 16

The trial date was here and Harry was nervous. Hermione wouldn't be back until the end of July and Lyra wouldn't be returning until after the trial. Narcissa was nice enough or as nice as she could be where as Draco actively tried not to be in the same area as him and Lucius was too busy dealing with the paperwork involved with the trial as well as a few other things.

Lyra would be pleased with him though because Harry had somewhat worked out what it was that Lucius was up to. It was a bit anti-climactic but, just like Lyra, Lucius was after power and that was all Harry found out. He didn't know why or anything else but he knew that.

Harry stood inside of the atrium for the Ministry of Magic nervous and a little intimidated. He wished Lyra was there to distract him with conversation or to annoy him by barking orders.

To his surprise, Draco who had been actively avoiding him for about a week slid next to him while Narcissa was distracted with socializing.

"What are you intentions with my sister, Potter?" He spat.

Harry frowned at him, "Seriously?"

Draco scowled harder. Harry fought not to roll his eyes. "She's twelve, Malfoy. I don't have any intentions with her."

Draco narrowed his eyes. "I'll be keeping an eye on you, Potter."

"Good luck with that, Malfoy."

-(INSERT LINE HERE)-

Harry, who hadn't been in contact with his godfather since the before the school term ended, was shocked to see a ragged, half crazed Sirius Black half dragged into the court room. He had a wild look in his eyes and white spittle oozed from his lips cracked and bleeding lips. Harry was so shocked that he almost missed the wink Sirius sent his way.

The-boy-who-lived struggled with himself. On the one hand, Sirius' performance was masterful and on the other hand, Harry found himself wondering just how much of it was acting and how much was his time in Azkaban. Because no matter how well put together and sensible Sirius seemed on paper, Azkaban takes its toll on everyone.

The trial wasn't very long but it also wasn't very pretty. Harry watched as Fudge waxed poetic about the woes of war and the sometimes-innocent lives ruined because of its horrors. He listened as official after official came forward and gave testimony. The Aurors who arrested Sirius on the night that his best friends and Harry's parents, James and Lilly Potter were killed, were questioned under Veritaserum as Sirius cackled and played up his supposed insanity.

Then time came for Sirius himself to testify and things got interesting.

Three Aurors had to hold him down by magical means and force his mouth open. Amelia Bones, head of the department of magical law enforcement was a severe woman. She sat and listened to everything, her face never changing.

The moment the third drop hit his tongue, Sirius calmed to an almost trance-like state.

"Are you the one they call Sirius Orion Black?" Amelia Bones asked.

"Yes." He answered.

Amelia Bones nodded and asked a few more cursory questions just to make sure that the serum was working. Finally she nodded.

This was Harry's first time at the Wizengamot so he didn't know what to expect. Lucius had tried to educate him by giving him books to read but without Hermione or Lyra there to assist, most of the information went way over his head. Still he tried to understand at least some of it.

Then it began. Wizards that Harry had never seen or heard of stepped forwards asking question after question and even repeating some questions with different phrasing and words. Sirius' answers never changed or wavered.

Amelia Bones stood.

"Mr Black. When you were caught you were muttering that it was your fault. What was your fault?" she asked.

"It was my fault that they died." Sirius said.

"That who died, Mr Black?"

"James and Lilly Potter." He said.

Gasps went up around the room. Harry clenched his fists, ready to jump up. Lucius put his hand on Harry's shoulder and grasped it firmly. Harry winced. And settled back down.

"Why is it your fault, Mr Black?" Amelia Bones asked after the room quieted.

Sirius struggled. "If I was their secret keeper, they would still be alive. It should have been me. It's my fault."

Again the room erupted into noise but this time it was shock and outrage.

"Were you the Potter's secret keeper?" Amelia Bones asked.

"No." Sirius answered.

More noise filled the room. Harry let out a sigh of relief. Lucius relaxed his grip on Harry's shoulder. Harry sat beside Lucius while Narcissa sat on the other side with Draco sitting next to her. Narcissa gripped Draco's hand and a white handkerchief.

"Who was the Potter's Secret Keeper?" Amelia Bones asked.

There was a long pause. Sirius' eyes stared straight ahead at everything and nothing. Finally he took a breath.

"Peter Pettigrew."

Chaos erupted. Harry felt a weight lift from his shoulders as he fought to remain still. He couldn't quite keep the smile from his face but he did manage to hold back his tears. Sirius was going to be a free man.

-(INSERT LINE HERE)-

Sometimes, especially when the Wizarding World is involved, things don't go quite as planned. Harry thought that with Sirius no longer being a wanted man, things would be normal for him and he'd be happy.

Conveniently, he managed to forget that Lucius Malfoy had a hand in freeing Sirius and that he, meaning Harry, forgot to mention that little tid-bit of information to Sirius. Not only that, but he also didn't tell him that he would be staying with the Malfoy's until he was deemed well enough to integrate back into normal functioning society.

So, both Harry and Sirius sat on opposite ends of Lucius Malfoy's study so graciously turned over for the use of the conversation.

Sirius, known for his inability to hide his feelings, was silent. He simply watched Harry from across the room, worrying his godson.

"Can you say something? Please?" Harry asked. He was proud that it was just a step up from begging but an important step.

Sirius kept his unblinking stare on Harry. "What would you like me to say?"

Harry shook his head. "Something? Anything. I… A thank you would be a great place to start."

Harry regretted the words almost instantly but it was too late. He started the ball rolling and now he had to watch where it would stop.

Sirius blinked. "Thank you? They're Malfoys, Harry."

"I'm aware of who they are. I've been here for almost three weeks. But, you're free now!" Harry said.

Sirius barked out a laugh, sounding a lot like the dog he transformed into. "Free? No, Harry. All you did was trade in one cage for another."

"This is better than that."

"Is it?"

"Yes, it is! You know what my relatives were like! What they…" Harry trailed off and took a deep breath. "This is better."

"Harry. They're Malfoys. You can't tell me you trust them? You told me yourself that Lucius Malfoy had a hand in what happened to Ginny Weasley in your second year." Sirius was just trying to get Harry to see reason.

The problem was that Harry did see. He understood completely where Sirius was coming from but Harry was privy to more information than Sirius was. Secretly Harry wondered just how much he should tell his godfather about his plans and Lyra's plans and just how angry the littlest Malfoy would get.

Still, it was easier to beg for forgiveness than to ask for permission. So, he told Sirius everything that he knew, including how he adopted Hermione and his many, many blowouts with Ron. He told him about Lucius Malfoy's interference with setting him free and how he wanted to ingratiate himself to Harry and to a lesser extent to Sirius for the political clout. Harry even spilled the beans about his feelings for Lyra and how confused he was about her. He bared his soul to Sirius and told him things he hadn't even told Lyra or Hermione or Ron. He shared his soul with the older man, to the point of exhaustion and never once did Sirius interrupt him.

Through it all, Sirius nodded and listened, just like Lucius had when Harry had come to him with all his questions, like no other adult ever had. Then, without warning or hesitation, Sirius got up and hugged him. Harry flinched and fought the hold but Sirius just held him tighter. Harry broke. He sagged in Sirius' arms and wept bitterly.

His sobs drowned out everything else to the point where Harry himself couldn't even hear Sirius whispering to him.

"I've got you." Sirius said. "You're safe and I will do everything in my power to make sure it stays that way."

-(INSERT LINE HERE)-

Once Sirius, with the help of Flopsy, put Harry to bed after he cried himself into exhaustion, he had Flopsy take him direction to Lucius and Narcissa. The husband and wife relaxed in the sitting room. Lucius nursed a tumbler of firewhiskey while Narcissa sat on a dark green chaise lounge with a silver trim while she drank a glass of red wine.

"My dear cousins!" Sirius said with a deranged smile.

Narcissa glanced at him before going back to her wine. Lucius rolled his eyes.

"Your act may have fooled those fools at the ministry but you'll find that my patience for such eccentricities is somewhat wanting." Lucius said.

Sirius' smiled morphed into a smirk. "I knew I couldn't get one over on you, Lucius."

"State your business or remove yourself from my presence." Lucius said

"What are you getting out of this?" Sirius asked.

"What exactly are you asking, Black?"

"Don't bullshit me, Malfoy!"

Narcissa stood up and drained her glass. "You will watch your tongue in my home, cousin."

Sirius turned to look at her. The room, just like the rest of the manor was grand and expensive, decorated is blacks, greens and silvers. Every crystal, marble or satin fixture screamed decadence. In the middle of the room stood a short metal and crystal laced coffee table. Lucius stood near the fireplace, surveying the room

"Ah! My apologies. Horseshit, then. Will that do?" Sirius asked. He took a few turns around the room before settling himself on the single white couch in on the other side of the chaise lounge.

"Crass." Narcissa said, walking over to a shiny black mantelpiece. On it sat several crystal bottles filled with different liquids. Instead of using magic or getting a house elf to do it, Narcissa filled her glass herself and sat back down on the chaise lounge.

Sirius sent her a roguish smile.

"What do you want, Black?" Lucius asked.

"But I told you what I want."

Lucius remained silent, his icy gaze fixed on Sirius.

A frown flitted across Sirius' face before a grin overtook it. Lucius looked away.

"I hear congratulations are in order. A Malfoy heiress, why, there hasn't been one of those in over a century. How did you do it?" Sirius changed the subject.

Lucius gripped is tumbler glass tighter. "I know it has been a while for you, Black, but procreation still works the same way."

"Yes, I suppose it does. Just not for Malfoys."

Lucius turned to look at Sirius, a threat heavy in his eyes. "Have care with your next words. You might find reports to the ministry less than flattering with regards to your mental health."

Sirius jumped up and slammed his hands on the coffee table, ignoring Narcissa's shout.

"That is Victorian!"

"What do you want from me, Malfoy? I always knew your family was heartless but to stoop so low as to use an innocent boy!" Sirius said.

Lucius let out a laugh, low and cold. "You? You have nothing I want. This is not about you. You were a rather unpleasant side affect at best."

Sirius' eyes sharpened at that but he kept quiet hoping Lucius would reveal more. Instead the blond aristocrat laughed again.

"I expected more from you. Still, you were a Gryffindor so the fault is partially my own for overestimating your Black blood. The Potter boy is a far better Black than you ever were." Lucius said. With that he drained his glass and walked out of the room.

"You went too far, Sirius." Narcissa said.

"Did you really believe I had done it, Cissy?" Sirius asked.

Narcissa put down her wine glass and motioned Sirius over to her. When he came and sat down, she grasped his hand.

"Honestly, I didn't much care. That was around the time that Lyra was born. My family was my only focus." She said.

Sirius squeezed her hand. "Besides Andy, you were always my favourite cousin."

Narcissa laughed. "Besides Andromeda, I was everyone's favourite."

"Your husband is still a knob." Sirius said.

"Watch your language, Sirius." Narcissa said.

The two lapsed into a companionable silence.


	17. Chapter 17

(:AN: Hello all. So I've been looking and aside from the names they were given when Hermione obliviated them, I haven't been able to find out her parent's names. If one of you does actually know their first names, please feel free to drop them in a review or a private message. Thanks! :AN:)

Aside from Harry's refusal to speak about his little break down, things were going smoothly. The manor was abuzz with activity. Flower bouquets were floating around, house elves were ironing their fingers and punishing themselves over every little wrinkle or speck of dust and Narcissa Malfoy seemed to be over the moon.

Both Malfoy men had made themselves scarce so Lady Malfoy commandeered both Harry and Sirius to help her. Currently, they were seated in the ballroom looking at coloured strips of cloth.

Narcissa held up the cloth. "Red or silver?"

"I'm sorry. What is this for?" Harry asked.

"Lyra will be turning thirteen this year. She must be presented." Narcissa said.

"Presented?" Harry asked with a confused frown.

Sirius leaned over. "An old and archaic practice. It's an excuse to throw a party while simultaneously looking for the highest bidder to sell your child to."

"Sell?" Harry asked, frowning harder.

Absently, Narcissa reached over and smoothed out the wrinkles in his forehead.

"Don't frown, dear. You'll get wrinkles." Her touch was soft and gentle. She turned to Sirius. "When will you grow into a mature and responsible adult?"

Sirius grinned. "Never!"

Harry laughed and Narcissa rolled her eyes.

"Red or silver?" Narcissa asked again.

-(INSERT LINE HERE)-

Harry walked through an almost unused portion of the manor. It was dark but clean and polished. Distantly, he heard the sounds of items being thrown against a wall and the grunts of exertion.

Being the Gryffindor he was, he couldn't shed his curiosity so the decided to investigate. What he found was Draco Malfoy in a large room with his shirt off, sweating and casting spells at moving dummies.

Quidditch reflexes saved him from the blasting curse thrown at his head. When Harry got up from his crouch, he glared at Draco.

"I missed." Draco said with a smirk.

Harry looked around as the room began repairing itself. The dummies stood still, all in a neat line as Draco and Harry stood staring at one another.

"So this is where you've been hiding." Harry said.

"Malfoys don't hide." Draco said.

Harry looked around, intrigued. "I'm sure you have some weirdly sophisticated and pompous word for it but hiding is hiding. Can't the ministry track the use of underage magic?"

Draco scowled. "If you even think about telling my mother where I've been, I will end you, Potter." He grabbed a towel from the floor and draped it over his shoulders. "There are wards here, preventing it. Not all over the manor of course because that would be illegal but just here in the duelling hall so that we can practice our spell work."

"Duelling hall?"

"Yes, Potter, a duelling hall." Draco said with a sneer.

"Well, Malfoy." Harry said, removing his shirt and taking out his wand. "Let's see if you've improved from last year."

Draco smirked. "Me? I wiped the floor with you!"

"Then let's see if you can do it again."

The two boys went at one another with vigour. Different colour magic streamed and arched across the room as the two wizards in training moved in a complicated and fast paced dance around the room. They flung spell after spell and created shields that cracked and flew apart under the constant barrage of powerful spells.

Harry and Draco, chests heaving, wore identical grins on their faces as they fought to a draw.

Sirius whopped and cheered from his place near the door, startling the other two occupants.

"Excellent spell work, boys!" he said.

"How long have you been watching us?" Draco demanded.

Sirius pretended to leer at Draco, causing the Malfoy heir to reach for his shirt. Sirius laughed as did Harry.

"I'm not allowed a wand yet. I haven't been cleared for spell work." Sirius said.

"That doesn't answer my question." Draco said.

"If you'd stop trying to bite the medi-witches that come to check up on you, that might help your cause." Harry said.

"And stop all my fun? I don't really need a wand right now. I've been exploring and I heard the sound of spells clashing so I came to see." Sirius said. He pretended to leer at Draco again.

This time, Draco scowled harder at him and Sirius let out a loud bark of laughter

"What happened to the one you used after your escape from Azkaban?" Harry asked, both out of curiosity and out of the need to stop distract Sirius from messing with the volatile blond. Oh, Harry wasn't worried about Sirius. He knew that the older man could quite conceivably take care of himself but while Draco was a Slytherin, he had the unfortunate habit of being ruled by anger. Plus, is Sirius got his hands on Draco's wand, he would do some damage. Not to be malicious but because it would be fun.

"Confiscated." He eyed Draco. "Dear little cousin. I know why your blasting curses keep missing." Then he turned to Harry. "And I know why your shields keep breaking after a single hit."

Both Draco and Harry looked at one another. Harry leaned over to Draco and whispered in a low voice so that Sirius couldn't hear. "Don't give him your wand."

"Alright then," Draco said out loud. "We're listening."

Harry nodded eagerly. Sirius, without the use of a wand, began to guide them and taught them how to use their spells properly.

-(INSERT LINE HERE)-

Hermione had been having an okay time with her parents. She adored them and they adored her but nothing compared to the wizarding world and she couldn't wait to get back.

The bright young witch informed her parents of everything that had occurred during the year including Harry adopting her, which confused them. They sat in the living room, which looked like every other normal living room. There was a fireplace with a mantle filled with pictures of Hermione's milestones, her first steps, her first bath, her first time eating solid food and so on. The windows were large and allowed lots of light in which went well with the yellow and white paint and accents. Just outside one of the windows stood a very old tree that had been there as long as Hermione could remember.

Her parents told her that the tree had been there since her birth. It never produced anything but leaves and the ravens loved it. It wasn't a scary tree. In fact, it was more comforting than anything.

"What does that mean, Hermione dear?" Julia Granger asked.

"It means that while I'm in the wizarding world, Harry is responsible for me." Hermione said.

"Responsible? He's a thirteen year-old boy. They are far from responsible, dear." Henry Granger said.

"He'll be fourteen at the end of this month. And things are different in the Magical world." Hermione said.

"And you're okay with this?" Julia asked.

Hermione bit her lip. "At first, like you, I was confused. Most of it made no sense and the parts that I did understand were horrifyingly archaic. But then Lyra Malfoy …"

"Malfoy? I thought you didn't like those people." Henry asked.

"Yes, well, that was before Lyra and I still don't much like her father, Lucius." Hermione said with a smile.

The two dentists look at one another with knowing smiles.

"What of the other Malfoy. The boy around your age?" Julia asked.

"Draco? What of him?" Hermione asked, a little too quickly to be believed.

The grins widen. Their little girl was growing up. Hermione was already fourteen going on fifteen in a few months. It was no surprise that she was already noticing boys. Plus, Hermione Jean Granger was growing into a stunning woman. She was filling out and face had grown to fit her teeth. Her hair was still frizzy but it wasn't a mess. Instead it held a stylish curl that frames her face nicely.

"Now, love. It is perfectly acceptable if you find this Draco Malfoy attractive." Julia said.

Hermione screwed up her face but Lyra's ringing cry of, "Wrinkles!" caused her to smooth out her face.

"He's not attractive!" she cried, forcing the picture of the tall smirking blond out of her head. "He's Malfoy!"

"Alright sweetheart." Henry said, suppressing his smile.

Hermione leaned in closer. "I'm serious. He is not attractive!"

"Alright then." Julia said, patting Hermione on the shoulder.

Hermione settled into a scowl but deep in the recesses of her mind she kept a mental countdown of the days left until she should be journeying to Malfoy manor. Just outside of the living room, a singe raven cawed.

-(INSERT LINE HERE)-

Lyra returned to Malfoy Manor with lots of fan-fair. It was her birthday. The first birthday she would be spending in Malfoy Manor since she was about five. The entrance halls were decorated to perfection, and music flowed through each room, conjured by Narcissa Malfoy.

Draco entered the grand hall with Lyra on his arm. Draco wore a dark green, almost black suit, fitted to him. Instead of his usual slicked back locks, his blond hair hung loose around his shoulders in a stylish and haphazard fashion. He glanced around the room, taking note of the various families being represented; some light aligned and others, not so much. A cold almost disdainful look set on his face, Draco focused on his lovely younger sister.

Lyra looked like a darker version of Narcissa. Her dress covered her neck, chest, shoulders and arms but left her back out all the way down to the swell of her hips. Her hair covered most of her back but left an upside down triangle of skin on her lower back exposed. It was a very risqué outfit for their society but Lyra enjoyed pushing the envelope. Her hair was pulled back, away from her face but once again, that single forelock of stubborn hair curled almost petulantly and hung just below her right eye.

The Malfoy siblings made a picture together. Harry and Sirius, also dressed in suits, stood back and away from the other guests along with Neville Longbottom and surprisingly Luna Lovegood.

"Lyra sent me a letter. The wobbles said something was coming but I didn't believe them." Luna had said by way of an explanation.

She wore a dark pink gown that fell to the floor and trailed a little. It was light and airy, almost fairy-like. It flowed and fluttered in a non-existent wind. It was covered in flowers and on anyone else it would have looked garish but it suited Luna to a T.

Harry simply smiled indulgently. He liked the younger girl. She was strange but she and Lyra seemed to genuinely like one another and despite the weird quirks, Luna was very sweet and seemed very loyal. He didn't truly understand her but he sincerely found her delightful to be around.

This was Sirius' first time meeting Harry's friends aside from Ron and Hermione and he liked what he saw. Luna was strange to him but he could tell that there was something there, lurking behind her dazed expression. With Neville, he could feel the bravery and sincerity hidden in his awkwardly shy clumsiness and nerves. These were good friends for his godson to have.

Sirius watched them chat amongst themselves with a grin. He turned his attention back to the entrance where Lyra and Draco were standing and only half listened to Lucius wax poetic. His focus was on the youngest Malfoy. If he didn't know any better, he'd think she was a Black. Instead of the trademark blond of the Malfoy Family, her hair was dark like a raven's wing. She looked like Narcissa but there was a ruthlessness lurking behind the stormy grey of her eyes that rivalled Lucius at his best. Not only that but clearly she knew how to work a crowd because she smiled and waved like a charming little doll and the audience ate it up, some commenting on her looks and others commenting on the fact that she was a Ravenclaw, clearly intelligent.

Sirius observed her looks as well. Lyra Malfoy could no longer be called a girl. She was still short but there was a bit of sharpness to her features, a sort of fullness to her lips, a tad bit of ripeness that had started that pushed her firmly out of the girl category and into that of a woman.

He glanced over at Harry and his friends who had clearly not seen her or her brother enter the room. Harry was fast becoming a man as well. He had grown since Hogwarts. The boy-who-lived what a taller and his body more filled out. His jaw was more masculine and square. Even though he hadn't notice yet, his voice was getting deeper and girls and older women were beginning to take note. The changes were subtle. Sirius grinned. He would enjoy this.

-(INSERT LINE HERE)-

Lyra stood next to Draco. She kept a smile on her face while her Father introduced them to person after person. After a while, all of the faces blurred together. Not only that, she was bored.

"Am I boring you?" Lucius whispered as they headed towards yet another set of dignitaries.

"Never, father." Lyra responded with a honeyed smile.

After the introductions, Lyra and Draco were dismissed and allowed to finally find their friends. Lyra noted that they kept to opposite sides of the room. She noted that her father's plan had worked when she saw Sirius Black standing near Harry, Luna and Neville Longbottom.

Lyra took a deep breath and glided over.

"Lyra Gemini Malfoy. A pleasure to finally meet you." She said with a deep curtsy. She extended her hand.

Sirius grasped her hand and barked out a laugh. He bowed deeply and kissed her hand.

"The pleasure is all mine, little cousin. I hear I have you to thank for my freedom." Sirius said.

Lyra rose from her curtsy and blushed prettily. "That was all your godson."

Meanwhile, Harry had stopped talking with Neville and Luna as soon as Lyra had arrived. She stole his breath away. He hadn't thought they'd been away from each other for so long but it was he was seeing her, really seeing her for the first time. His eyes traced her form. From the top of her head where that little curl he liked so much dropped into her face to the slender curves of her body and back again. So much had changed and yet, she was the same.

Sirius watched Harry's reaction to the youngest Malfoy and the wheels started turning. He watched Harry go slack-jawed as he eyed her. He also watched her ignore Harry and save him for last.

Lyra turned to Neville and Luna. She curtsied formally to Neville.

"I don't think we've formally met. I'm Lyra Gemini Malfoy."

Neville blushed and stuttered a bit before he finally got it out. "Heir Neville Longbottom. A pleasure to meet you."

Lyra gifted him with a sweet smile and turned to Harry. She bit her lip and worried it between her teeth. Harry watched that lip for a while before shaking his head and looking Lyra in the eye.

"Happy birthday." He said.

Lyra frowned a little before smoothing her face out into a smile.

"Thank you." She said.

Harry fidgeted for a bit. "I… um… That is… um…"

Lyra smiled again, this time more genuine. "Use your words."

Harry laughed and just like that, the tension evaporated between the two of them. For some reason that Harry didn't understand, he felt nervous and awkward around Lyra, more so now than before. It was like something had changed but he didn't understand what.

"I have something for you." Harry said.

Luna, Neville and Sirius had long since given up the pretence of pretending to give the two young people privacy and were openly watching the interactions. Unbeknownst to any of them, so was Narcissa Malfoy who watched Harry and Lyra with an eagle eye. She couldn't hear what they were saying but she could read their body language.

Lyra glanced at the pile of gifts in the corner of the room with a small frown. Harry reached out and grabbed her hand. She turned back to him and looked at his hand on hers before looking into his earnest face.

"No. I meant, I… I want to give it to you." Harry said.

Lyra smiled softly. She turned to Sirius with her hand still in Harry's hold.

"Cousin? Will you please accompany us to the balcony?" she asked.

Sirius grinned and nodded.

(:AN: I really thought about stopping it here because this chapter is kinda long but I try not to do cliff hangers and you guys are so nice, that you deserve the balcony seen. :AN:)

-(INSERT LINE HERE)-

The balcony was all marble and hidden from view by large red curtains. It gave a full view of the impeccable grounds and lit by torches and the night sky, made for a very soothing atmosphere.

Sirius decided to stand at the far edge of the balcony to allow the two young people at least the illusion of privacy. He was man enough to admit that even though he didn't know the particulars of their relationship, he was currently invested and wanted to see what would come of this.

Harry was still awkward and nervous and he let it show. Lyra was nervous too but she was a Malfoy. Malfoys don't show weakness. So, she turned to Harry with a smile. She noted with a ton of satisfaction that he had yet to let go of her hand.

"Are you ever going to let go of my hand?" she asked.

Instead of dropping it and allowing her to get some distance to collect her thoughts, he squeezed her hand and pulled her a little closer.

"Honestly, I'm not sure I want to." Harry said.

Lyra blushed and looked away. But then Harry dropped her hand and stepped away forcing Lyra to look up in confusion. Then she smiled as she watched the Boy-Who-Lived, Saviour of the Wizarding World fumble around with his clothing, clearly searching for something.

The youngest Malfoy giggled a little but finally, Harry seemed to find what he was looking for as he turned back to her with a red face.

"Close your eyes." Harry said.

Lyra frowned. "What?"

"Turn around and close your eyes." He said again.

"Seriously?"

"Please?" He asked earnestly.

Lyra sighed, turned around and closed her eyes. She waited. And waited. Then Harry stepped up behind her and she felt something slightly heavy rest on her throat and chest. Without opening her eyes she brought her hand up and felt a necklace with a ring. She gasped and opened her eyes.

The necklace was silver, as was the ring but it had a onyx and emerald green stones set inside of it.

"You know, Potter, giving a girl a ring means the same thing in the wizarding world as it does in the muggle one." Lyra said.

Harry walked around to face her with a deep blush adoring his face. "It's a black family heirloom. When I saw it, I… uh… I thought of you."

"I… I don't know what to say." Lyra said.

Harry frowned a little. "If… if you… um… don't like it… or… I could get you something else!"

Lyra closed her hands around the gift and stepped back. She shook her head. "No. I love it."

She came forward and planted a kiss on Harry's lips. It as a soft chaste kiss, more of a peck than anything but time seemed to slow down. Everything else drifted away until it was just the two of them. There was no spark, no fireworks, just a gentle hum of magic and the warmth of one another.

When Lyra pulled away, they stared, lost in each other's eyes. Harry reached up and brushed the stray curl from Lyra's face, breaking the spell. Almost as though she realized what had happened, Lyra gasped, turned and strode back into the ballroom, hands still clutching Harry's gift to her.

Harry watched her go and brought his hands to his lips. Then he broke out into a goofy grin. He jumped when Sirius came and clapped him on the back accompanied by his barking laughter, having forgotten that the older man was even there in the first place.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

(AN: **Firstly I'd like to apologize for how long this update took. I really liked the scene between Lyra and Harry on the balcony but almost everything I wanted to happen afterwards simply didn't fit the direction that the characters wanted to go and I wound up a little bit stuck for a while. That and the added complications of it being an election year in my country and having to travel and do meet and greets with potential voters was also a set back. No, I'm not a politician; I am simply related to one of the front-runners and unfortunately in my country, being related means that I have to be front and centre for a lot of things when I'd rather stay at home. All of this plus the added stress of preparing for a new job means that I had very little time to collect my thoughts and get this chapter out. I really am sorry and I'm going to try to do better in the future. After May 10, things are going to get infinitely less stressful and chaotic so I am begging you all to just bear with me. Thank you so much for your understanding and if you have any questions, simply ask me in a review and I will try my hardest to get back to you.** AN:)

-(INSERT LINE HERE)-

Lyra returned to the ball. Externally, she wore the necklace and ring with pride, exuding calm happiness. Internally, she was screaming. A fine panic had begun to set in. Lyra Malfoy, for the first time in a long time, had no plan. She had done something spur of the moment simply because she could, because she wanted to.

As she smiled and looked around at the multitude of guests, Lyra's thoughts drifted back to Harry. His plump red lips, his luminous green eyes and especially how nervous and sincere he was, filled up the ever growing ball of affection she held for him. Since she first saw him in the Great Hall at Hogwarts, emotions she never felt before had been stirring. At first she thought it was because he might have been useful. After seeing him spying on her, she thought she could use him to gather information. Then she learned his name and figured she could use that. So she got to know him.

After getting to know him however, she found a kind, caring young man who would do anything for those he called friends. She also found a broken young man that craved affection and held an unhealthy habit of looking for trouble. She found a young man that drew people to him, without trying or really wanting to, a young man that inspired loyalty but also a young man so used to being hurt and taunted that he accepted any behaviour directed towards him without much of a fuss.

Lyra found herself alone in a corner with just her thoughts to keep her company. She gripped the ring and necklace with a light smile.

"Is Lyra Malfoy actually hiding from something?"

Lyra looked up and glared at her older brother. "Go away, Draco."

"I take it this has something to do with what occurred on the Balcony?"

Lyra narrowed her eyes and stared at Draco. Then she closed her eyes, took a deep breath and smirked.

"You almost had me. Fishing for information are we?"

Draco just stared at her expectantly. Lyra rolled her eyes and showed Draco the necklace and the ring.

"Happy birthday to me." she said.

Draco leaned in for a closer look and gasped. He lowered his voice. Around them, partygoers danced and chatted amongst themselves, eating, drinking and being merry. No one seemed to be paying attention to the two young people in the corner.

"Potter gave you that?" He hissed.

Lyra pulled away and worried her lip, a nervous gesture on her part.

"Yes but I don't think he understands what it means."

Draco laughed. "It's not like Potter was proposing. I don't even think he realises you're a girl."

Lyra thought back to the kiss and the way Harry's eyed had widened. The way he tensed up and the way he had reached for her. She smirked a little.

"I think he noticed. And anyway, it doesn't matter. He gave me the Black ring. Cousin Sirius is Lord Black so it may not actually mean anything." Lyra said.

"Cousin Sirius has yet to change his heir. As it stands, Potter is the heir to the Black fortune and everything that goes with it." Draco said.

"Well, mother was a Black before she married father. Doesn't that sort of thing, my being half Black, cancel this out?"

"Great aunt Walburga married great uncle Orion. She was his first cousin. Their parents were siblings. I don't really think that sort of thing matters in the Black family. But, you should relax. It might not mean anything."

"You're right. It might not."

"Did Lyra Malfoy just admit to someone else being right?"

"I hope you realise that this is why you and I don't speak about these things." Lyra said.

Draco grinned. He handed her a silver box with gold engravings. "Happy Birthday, little sister."

He walked away. Lyra opened the box and smiled.

-(INSERT LINE HERE)-

Sirius grinned from ear to ear. Harry's face was so red that he had started to sweat even though the night air was cool and crisp.

"How adorable!" Sirius said.

If possible, Harry turned even redder. "She kissed me."

Sirius laughed. "I saw."

A broad smile worked its way across Harry's face. Sirius pulled him close.

"You're becoming a man." Sirius said.

Harry frowned. "Is this what becoming a man feels like?"

"Well, that depends on how you feel." Sirius said.

Harry's frown morphed into an even larger grin. "She kissed me."

Sirius laughed. "What exactly was the gift?"

"Well, it was a ring I found in the Black vaults." Harry said.

The smile slid from Sirius' face. "Ring?"

Harry turned around still grinning. "Yeah. I saw it and I just knew it belonged with her. I couldn't stop thinking about her when I saw it. It was… It called to me and whispered her name."

Sirius frowned deeply, concern etched across his face. "This ring. Was it onyx and emeralds set in silver with a Latin inscription engraved on the inside?"

Harry turned back to Sirius, still all smiles. Sirius schooled his face to a large smile but it didn't quite reach his eyes. Worry and fear warred within the grey orbs but Harry, in his state of delirious happiness, didn't see it. Sirius ruffled Harry's hair and Harry just let him.

-(INSERT LINE HERE)-

Sirius managed to make up some excuse and left Harry with Luna and Neville who grilled him about the events that they weren't privy to on the balcony. Well, Neville grilled him, Luna simply smiled in her airy way but her eyes were bright and knowing.

The older man managed to manoeuvre Narcissa to a more secluded area of the ballroom and convince her to throw up a privacy charm.

"This had better be important, Sirius." Her face was cold.

Sirius gave her a roguish grin and if possible, her expression turned colder. Sirius barked out a nervous laugh and ran his hands through his hair.

"Somehow, my godson has gotten his hands on my mother's ring and has given it to your daughter." Sirius said.

Narcissa's expression softened and became thoughtful. "Huh."

Sirius frowned. "Not like that, Cissy. They're children. And, it wasn't mother's engagement ring. It was the other ring. Onyx and emerald set in silver with the Latin engraving on the inside."

Narcissa turned to Sirius in a panic before she schooled her expression. Just for assurance sake, he grabbed her shoulders to keep her from running off.

"From what I could tell, it doesn't seem like it's affecting her all that much but it did affect him. He said it called to him." Sirius said.

"Cousin, that ring is dangerous!" Narcissa said.

"I think I'd know that better than most. I grew up with it." Sirius said.

It was very well known that Walburga Black kept and iron grip on her family. Orion Black, her husband and also her first cousin seemed almost cowed by her.

"That ring is cursed."

"I never really knew a difference. My mother was always a horrid woman, with or without that ring. But, we can't exactly take it."

"Why the hell not?"

"You called the ring cursed. I thought you knew." Sirius said.

"Despite what you seem to believe, I wasn't privy to many of the Black family's dark little secrets. When my sister ran away, that was the end of any sort of freedom, including any trust." Narcissa said.

Sirius sighed. "That ring can't be taken, only willingly given. No one ever wants to give it up and I can't think of a single instance where that ring didn't destroy the witch wearing it."

Narcissa took a deep breath and composed herself. "Maybe, just maybe, Lyra will remain unaffected."

"How'd'you figure?"

"The boy wasn't as affected and he willingly gave it up to Lyra. Maybe them only having partial Black blood is a saving grace."

"I see your logic and I raise you a couple of very obvious flaws in said logic. Harry's grandmother is a Black so the connection is distant enough that we can't really draw on that and there's the added unknown of his mother's muggle-born blood and its effects. Secondly, it did affect him. He said it whispered to him and called her name so for all we know, the ring wanted to get to Lyra in the first place, not to mention Lyra's birth."

Narcissa remained quiet for a long time, mulling over the options in her head and playing and replaying various scenarios. Her eyes turned and darted about the room, taking notice of the fact that the party guests seemed to be having fun and thus paid them no attention. The only person who appeared even remotely interested in their conversation was Lucius but he was always suspicious of virtually everything.

She turned back to Sirius. "What do you suggest we do?"

"You're not going to like it." He warned her. He caught how Narcissa didn't bother to confirm or deny anything being wrong with Lyra's birth but Sirius suspected something was off when he caught sight of Lyra's hair and eyes. Usually, Malfoy genetics won out hands down.

"My daughter is in possession of a ring that, despite being a powerful magical artefact, drove your mother and countless other Black women mad. I already don't like this."

Sirius took a step back. "I suggest we say and do nothing."

Narcissa rounded on him but he was just out of her reach. She couldn't pull out her wand without alerting others that there was a problem.

"You want me to wait while that thing drives my only daughter mad?"

"No. I want to wait to see, first how, if ever, it affects her and secondly if it really was the ring not the generations of inbreeding."

"You want to turn my daughter into a test subject?"

"Are we really going to pretend that she's not exactly that already?"

Sirius' words shock Narcissa into silence. Meanwhile, Sirius, all joking and good humour gone from his face, simply stared back at his second favourite cousin.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, cousin." Narcissa said, voice filled with cold clear warning.

Sirius eyed her. "No, I don't suppose you do."

With a wave of her wand, the privacy spell came crashing down. Narcissa Malfoy, wife of Lucius Malfoy and lady of the Malfoy estate, drew herself up and walked away, head held high. Sirius watched her leave with a deep frown on his face.

-(INSERT LINE HERE)-

You'd think that after the events of the party that Lyra and Harry would be on some next level type of romantic connection but the two young wizards avoided each other like the plague. It was subtle too. There were no glances or long stares. No secret smiles. Instead, Lyra took to the library and Harry kept up his training with Sirius and Draco.

It was all made all the more awkward when Hermione showed up a day before Harry's birthday. Narcissa planned for a surprise party despite both Harry and Sirius objecting to any party at all. Harry because he wasn't too fond of celebrating his birthday and Sirius because he wasn't too fond of the parties that Narcissa threw. There was also the fact that he and Narcissa were at odds with one another.

When Hermione arrived, the manor was quiet. She reached the house via floo and as she stepped out of the fireplace, Hermione had a moment of being severely underwhelmed.

"Huh. This is nothing like I expected." She said.

"Is anything ever?" Lyra asked. She stood off on the other side of the room.

The floo room was simply a large marble and tile square with ancient looking metal and crystal accents. It held no furniture, only a fireplace and mantle where an ornate jar held the floo powder. The room also had a single floor length window that held black curtains with a silver trim. There were no paintings or tapestries. It was simply a bare room.

The two girls embraced but Hermione was suspicious. Lyra and Harry were very far apart from one another. In fact, they were as far away as they could get without one or both of them leaving the room.

Hermione caught Draco's eye as she hugged Lyra and gave him look of confusion. Draco glanced at Harry and then back to Hermione and rolled his eyes in silent communication. Hermione shook her head in understanding. Apparently, something had happened at Lyra's party and the two were either embarrassed or cautious.

Lyra pulled away and when she had moved far enough away, Harry enveloped Hermione in another fierce hug.

"I missed you. I kind of really only had Malfoy for company." He whispered.

"No doubt something caused by your own volition." Hermione whispered back.

Harry pulled away and blushed, confirming her suspicions. Then, to her immense surprise, Draco stepped forward and gave her a deep and polite bow.

"Welcome to our home, Granger." He said, taking her hand.

"Thank you for having me." Hermione said with a curtsy.

Draco trailed his thumb across Hermione's knuckled a few times, tightened his grip on her hand for a bit then let go after delivering a final kiss to the back of her hand. The brainy witch frowned a little but managed to school her features just quick enough for Draco not to catch it as he rose from his bow.

Lyra watched them and Harry watched Lyra. He watched as she shook her head and stepped forward again.

"We have a lot to discuss." Lyra said. "I'll call Flopsy to get your things. Right now, come to my room."

When Draco and Harry made to move as well, Lyra stopped them.

"This conversation is for girls only. You boys should continue your playtime."

"Playtime?" Hermione asked.

"The boys have been training with Sirius."

Harry frowned." How do you know about that?" His first words to her in several days sounded more like an accusation that anything and it made Harry wince just a little. Even Hermione frowned at the tone of his voice.

If Lyra caught it, she ignored it. "Sirius told me. He even asked me to join you but that would be unfair to you two."

Lyra wasn't bragging but Harry still bristled at the insinuation that she could actually be better than him. Then, Draco shook his head.

"She's right. It wouldn't be fair." He said. "Lyra knows her spell work. I've duelled with her before. It's not fun."

Harry was still sceptical. It was written all over his face.

Draco snorted. "Look, Potter. Because we're older, we're stronger. Our cores can handle more high-powered spells. Lyra can't, at least not yet so, to make up for that weakness, she uses her knowledge and she's got a lot of it. A hell of a lot more than you or I."

Harry nodded slowly. "I guess that wouldn't be fair."

Silence reigned mainly because it was at this point where Lyra would have a witty retort which would either result in an argument or Harry doing a fair impression of a tomato.

Instead, Lyra turned away fully expecting Hermione to follow, which she did after shooting a questioning look at Harry. The two young witches disappeared out of the double doors.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Hermione, having never been in Lyra's room looked around with wide eyes. Somehow it fit the small girl and yet it didn't. Lyra sat on the bed but Hermione preferred to stand.

"So, what happened?" Hermione asked.

"What makes you think something happened?"

Hermione scoffed. "You can't fool me. When I left, you and Harry were practically all over one another. Now it's like you can't bear to be in the same room let alone hold a conversation. What happened?"

Lyra raised an eyebrow. "What happened with you and Draco?"

Hermione flushed scarlet. "We're not talking about me."

Lyra flopped back gracelessly onto the bed, her hair splayed about like a dark halo with Hermione coming to sit beside her.

"If you ever tell anyone I said this, I will deny it to my dying breath but I don't actually know what happened."

Hermione nodded. "So start from the beginning and we'll figure it out together."

So, Lyra told Hermione about her trip to France and what she knew of the trial and even about her birthday ball. When she got to the part about the balcony, Hermione stopped her.

"Wait, wait, wait! You kissed him?"

Lyra flushed and nodded.

"You should have started with that!" Hermione said.

Lyra turned to look at her. "You said to start from the beginning."

"Well, it's obvious you like him." Hermione said.

Lyra sat up. "Like him! No, nothing of the sort, he's simply interesting."

"Okay." Hermione said.

"I'm serious! Besides I don't even know what I'm feeling."

"Lyra." Hermione said, exasperated.

"Hermione." Lyra said, mimicking her tone. "Believe it or not, there are some things not even I know, things that confound even me."

Hermione crowded closer to Lyra and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Oh, Lyra. Did that hurt to say?"

Lyra pulled away from Hermione with a laugh. "Like you wouldn't believe! I don't like not knowing and I don't like being confused."

Hermione grabbed Lyra's hand. "Believe it or not, this is completely natural."

"Not for me it isn't."

"For every girl, Lyra. My parents call it puberty. Haven't your parents given you a talk about the changes made to your body?"

Lyra bursts into laughter. "Of course not. I know what becoming a woman entails though could you really imagine Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy sitting down and giving Draco and I that bit of information?"

Hermione frowned and Lyra absentmindedly smoothed out the wrinkles in her forehead.

"How did you find out?" Hermione asked.

"Well, it's different for every house but for us, we got an incoherent mess of a speech delivered by Flopsy, a few books and we put in a ton of guess work."

The two girls collapsed in fits of laughter.

"Can I see the ring?" Hermione asked.

Lyra nodded and pulled out the ring. Hermione crowded in close to see it.

"Oh Lyra! It's beautiful!" Hermione said. She leaned in closer. "What does the inscription on the inside mean?"

"I don't actually know. When I tried to ask mother or Sirius about it, they clammed up. It's like they know something but they don't want to tell me. I know it's Latin but it's so old that not even the Malfoy library has a way to translate it. No translation spell I've tried has worked either." Lyra said.

"Well, you did say Harry got it from the Black vaults. Maybe you could ask Sirius to take you to check out the Black library if it's still usable." Hermione said.

Lyra smiled. "You've been here all of five minutes and you're already proving yourself useful."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "A few more hours to yourself and I'm sure you could have come up with something even better."

"Dear Hermione. If you learn nothing else from me, please remember that when dealing with Pure Bloods, flattery will get you everywhere."

The two girls burst into laughter again and lay back on the bed.

"Well, do you like it?" Hermione asked, backing away.

Unwittingly, a small smile graced Lyra's face as she raised her hand to the chain to caress the ring. "I love it."

Her hand tightened around the ring then she let go. It glittered a little and there was a small almost non-existent flash and then it was back to being a simple ring.

Hermione a frowned a little but ignored it when Lyra grabbed her hand.

"Hermione," she began. "I consider you a dear friend."

"And here I thought I was just a ploy for you get more power." Hermione's voice was filled with dry humour, something she learned from Lyra that the younger witch did not really appreciate having thrown back in her face.

"People can be both, Hermione."

Hermione let out a soft laugh. "So, what's this really about?"

Lyra stayed quiet for a long time prompting the older witch to get closer.

"You can tell me anything." She said.

The younger of the two took a deep breath. "Do you know why I didn't come to Hogwarts for my first year?"

Hermione shook her head. She and many others had been very curious about that. The Hogwarts rumour mill had gone into overdrive coming up with plausible but gossip worthy explanations as to why Lyra Malfoy hadn't come to Hogwarts and why no one seemed to know of her until her arrival and why the Malfoy family kept her a secret for so long.

"As you know," Lyra said. "With the glaring exceptions of the Black family and the Weasleys, most Pure Blood families are only capable of producing one child. The Malfoy family is no exception to that. In fact, they are probably the proof seeing as how the split that produced the Malfoy family in France and the family in England occurred centuries ago and there has never been a case of more than one child produced since then."

Hermione listened and then frowned. "Harry should be here for this."

The look on Lyra's face was almost a pout. Not quite there but it was very close. Truthfully, her pride was a little hurt. Sure she was avoiding him but it seemed that Harry made little to no effort to actually seek her out preferring to keep company with Draco and Sirius instead. It stung a little.

Hermione, ever the observant witch, noticed the look on her face. "You can't tell me and keep this from him. You'll crush him."

The older girl's voice was gentle and reasonable and somewhere deep down, Lyra knew she was right but the youngest Malfoy didn't really want to be reasonable. Wounded Malfoy pride was a serious thing. A full blown pout manifested itself after Hermione's words.

"Lyra!"

"Fine. But I am not going to like it."

"We all do things we don't like for the people that we do like."

"Yea well you're lucky I like you." Lyra said, she snapped her fingers and called for Flopsy.

Hermione grinned slyly. "I didn't mean me."

Lyra glowered at her friend until the house elf could arrive.

"What cans I be doing for little miss Malfoy?" Flopsy asked.

"If you could bring Potter and my brother here please?"

The elf nodded, her floppy hears giggling back and forth making Lyra smile fondly. The elf popped out of the room and a few seconds later, popped back in dragging both Draco and Harry along with her.

Harry stumbled and fell to knees. He shook his head a swayed a little. "No. No matter how many time that happens, I don't think I'll ever get used to it."

He dry heaved a little. Lyra looked over to Hermione to get her attention but the older witch only had eyes for Draco. Instead of bothering her, Lyra rushed to help Harry sit up.

All her life, Hermione had loved books. And, luckily for her, all reading was fun. The thing she remembered most were the emotionally charged historical tales of swash-buckling pirates and their many adventures that her parent's used to read to her as a child. She remembered the way young maidens would fall to their seductive charms, devil-may-care attitudes and their take-what-you-want lease on life. Currently, Hermione observed, Draco Malfoy stood, shirtless in loose fitting trousers and somewhat sweaty with his hair a tousled while he clutched at what was no doubt his shirt. To her, he looked every bit like one of the men in those stories, strong and charismatic with a lot of attitude and best of all, just a bit dangerous.

Hermione watched in avid fascination as his Quidditch muscles flexed as he rotated his joints. He dropped his shirt on the floor completely and instead went to lounge on Lyra's bed in a way that Hermione found way too distracting. He was mostly on display, like the bed was there simply to make him look better. Hermione traced his form with her eyes, unrepentantly memorizing every line; every cut and every angle while Draco watched Lyra try to help Harry stand with unbridled glee.

"Come on, Potter!" He crowed. "You can do death defying tricks on a broom stick but you can't handle that?"

His words and tone were enough to draw Hermione from her staring but she didn't snap out of it quick enough as she caught Lyra smirking at her. Hermione turned red and turned away.

"Stuff it, Malfoy!" Harry hissed out. He snatched away from Lyra. She bristled and pulled away as well, dumping Harry onto the ground.

Hermione saw the blow up about to happen and stepped closer to the dark haired female Malfoy.

"Lyra." She said softly.

The younger witch let out a gust air from her nose, turned on her heel and walked out of the room. Hermione stood, torn. On the one hand she wanted to go and talk to Lyra but on the other hand Harry was her brother now and he had been her best friend for the longest of time.

Draco got up off of the bed. "I've got this one, Granger. You handle Potter."

"I don't need to be handled." Harry said.

Hermione nodded at Draco. He winked back. She rolled her eyes. He laughed. He grabbed his shirt as he walked out and deliberately knocked into Harry as he passed. Once he had left, silence took over. Hermione refused to help Harry and Harry refused to ask.

"What?" He asked instead, tired of her disapproving stare.

Hermione bristled but took a deep breath. "What happened?"

Harry decided it was easier on the floor so he sat, cross-legged and pouting. "Nothing."

Hermione sat and mimicked his seating position. "Oh, come off it! You and Lyra couldn't get enough of each other when I left. What did you do?"

Harry gifted Hermione with the look that her question deserved.

Hermione crossed her arms under her chest. "Don't look at me like that. What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything. At least, I don't think I did."

"Well, if you didn't do anything, what happened? You guys aren't the same."

Harry sighed. "I don't know how to do this, Hermione."

Hermione frowned. "Do what?"

"It's like I get around her and I'm a different person. Something comes over me and I must prove myself."

Hermione sighed in relief. "Lyra? Those are your hormone talking, Harry. It's perfectly natural in a guy your age."

"What? No. This is different. It's like I'm aware and I know what's going on but I can't stop myself. And then there are the whispers."

"Whispers? Harry, what's going on?" Hermione lowered her voice. "Is it, You-Know-Who?"

Harry pulled his knees closer to his body and buried his face in them. "This feels, different. My scar doesn't hurt but I don't like this, Hermione."

Hermione stayed silent. The brain was working overtime to try and solve the problem presented to her. She deduced that the problems had all started when Harry gave Lyra the ring. She would have to do more research into the ring to find out what exactly, if anything was wrong with it.

"I don't like it either. We need the library."

Harry groaned but relented as Hermione threatened to physically lift him over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

-(INSERT LINE HERE)-

"You hate him." Lyra said.

"Not hate. He's a bit of a wanker and the golden-boy persona can be a bit grating but definitely not hate. Not anymore." Draco said.

"He's grown on you."

"Indeed. Like a fungus."

Lyra smiled.

The two Malfoy siblings sat out on the third floor balcony. Well, more like lounged. Draco leaned against the marble railing, still shirtless, with his pants riding low. His pale skin glowed in the late evening sun and his hair played about like a messy halo.

Lyra looked like a fallen angel with her pale skin and dark hair. She stretched out on a long chair with her curls falling onto and around her face in a fair imitation of a dark halo.

"Is someone developing a bit of a crush?" Lyra asked with a mischievous grin.

Draco rolled his silver eyes. "Not bloody likely."

The sibling regarded each other before Lyra turned away. "I don't need you to babysit me. I'm fine."

Draco sighed. "Alright, look. I'm not going to pretend that I'm okay with you and Potter enjoying each other's company. I'm not and I don't think I'll ever be. But, he made you happy. Sure you're trying to usurp father and Merlin knows what else but you were happy. And yes, you're a secretive, selfish, stubborn and maniacal little schemer but what proper Pure-Blood child isn't? But still, at the end of it all, you are my darling little sister and I want you happy, even if that means welcoming Potter to the family."

Lyra stood up and walked to the edge of the balcony near Draco. A single raven sat perched on the edge of the railing. It started at Lyra and she stared back.

"I'm sure there were a few compliments in there." She said.

"I assure you, dear sister, there were."

Lyra stretched out her hand to the raven. It turned its gaze to the hand. Lyra kept her hand out stretched. Draco watched them with a growing sense of trepidation. Something was happening but Draco didn't know what it was. His heart hammered in his chest and a cold sweat broke out.

The raven finally hopped onto Lyra's hand. She brought it closer to herself and stroked its feathers; cooing at the large, black bird. Outright fear gripped Draco but he didn't know why. Unconsciously, his eyes strayed to the ring dangling off of the chain around Lyra's neck. It might have been his imagination but the ring seemed satisfied, even a little happy. It glistened and sparkled and appeared to be something more and then it was simply an ordinary ring again.

Draco shook his head and excused himself though Lyra didn't even seem to notice his discomfort or his exit. Her focus was completely on the raven. The bird, however, seemed a tad bit too intelligent for a mere bird as it watched him walk away, head turning to follow him out off of the balcony. Draco shivered.

-(INSERT LINE HERE)-

"Hermione, what exactly are we looking for?" Harry asked.

Hermione frowned, nose buried in a large tome. "We'll know it when we find it."

Harry groaned and Hermione frowned harder. They were both sequestered away in a small corner of the Malfoy library with books scattered all around them. The house elves were very upset with the duo, constantly trying to clean up the mess but no sooner had they cleaned up, Hermione would simply close the book she had been reading and get five or six more, making yet another mess. Finally, the house elves had taken to pulling on their ears in a mixture of fear and frustration despite Hermione's assurances that she would clean the mess herself when she was done.

The witch looked up from the book and scowled at Harry. "Is there somewhere else you want to be?"

There was but Harry knew better than to say it. Instead he shook his head and pretended to leaf through a random book.

"You know, it would help if I knew what we were looking for."

Hermione, who had gone back to reading, shook her head. "I don't even know what we're looking for but we'll know it when we find it."

"You're not going to find it here."

Both Harry and Hermione looked up at the new comer, one Draco Malfoy. He stood near their little nest of books, wearing something that could be termed as a shirt but only very loosely. It was white with long sleeves and a deep 'V' that disappeared into a pair of form-fitting black slacks. Hermione traced that 'V' with her eyes and unconsciously licked her lips

"What are you talking about, Malfoy?" Hermione asked. She shook her head to get rid of her own self-induced stupor.

Draco turned and eyed her. He took note of the softened curls, her impassioned brown eyes and the slender curvature of her body. She was growing into a beautiful woman.

It was Harry's turn to frown. It seemed that neither male was too keen on the other making eyes at their sisters.

"This is the Malfoy library, Granger. You're looking for books on the Black family heirlooms or rather, one book in particular. The Black family grimoire." Draco said.

"How do you know what we're looking for?" Harry asked.

Draco snorted. "You don't even know what you're looking for."

"Where can we find the grimoire?" Hermione jumped in, cutting off Harry's scathing retort.

"One of two places. The Black vaults or the Black family library. And, there is only one person with access to both the vaults and the library."

"Sirius Black." Hermione said with growing concern.

"Who can't take us because he's under house arrest." Harry continued.

"Maybe we could convince Narcissa to take us? After all, she was a Black." Hermione said.

Draco shook his head. "Key word was. She doesn't have access to the vaults or the house anymore and she wasn't a member of the main branch."

"So we're back to Sirius." Harry said.

"Who is confined to this house and couldn't take us without a chaperone even if he wanted to." Hermione said.

Draco got a look in his eyes, one of determination and mischief. Normally when the blond Malfoy heir got that look in his eyes, it either meant a verbal spar with Harry or him trying to get them into trouble. This time, there was something about that look that Hermione found incredibly sexy.

"What are you thinking, Malfoy?" She asked.

He glanced at her. "I think I've got a plan but first, we need to see if the ring is the problem."

Hermione caught Harry's eye. He shook his head. Harry didn't want to tell Draco about the voices, not yet. Hermione rolled her eyes but nodded. Draco missed the entire exchange, completely caught up in own plans.


	20. Chapter 20

"Absolutely not." Sirius said.

Since Draco wasn't exactly forthcoming with his plans, Harry and Hermione, mainly Hermione decided to confront the problem head on and simply ask Sirius to take them but the older troublemaker was being a lot less than helpful. Not only that but both young people were hesitant to tell Sirius or anyone else about what may or may not be happening to Lyra and Harry.

"Why not?" Hermione asked.

"Not only am I unable to go anyone outside this bloody place alone, I would never take anyone to that house of horrors." Sirius said with a frown.

Hermione persisted. "I'm sure that if Draco and I asked, Lady Malfoy would be delighted to accompany us."

Sirius narrowed his eyes. "Why are you so intent on going."

Hermione straightened herself and looked away. "I want to see the library."

Sirius sat in sitting room reading a book on a large, fluffy couch. Hermione stood near the end table. Night had fallen quickly, too quickly for Hermione because in just two days, Harry would be having a birthday party just like Lyra's. Hermione was a little upset that she missed it but Harry's party would more than make up for it. Not that Harry even knew he was having a party in the first place. It wasn't exactly a surprise. It was just that no one saw fit to mention it to him.

He closed the book and stared harder. "There is an expansive library here."

Hermione bit her lip. She did want to see the library but there was more to it. A lie of omission was as far as she was willing to go.

"Alright." She said, dejected. She left the room with Sirius' suspicious gaze following her all the way.

-(INSERT LINE HERE)-

Draco accosted her outside of the room.

"Nice job there, Granger."

Hermione scowled at him. Draco used to find the expression irritating and insufferable but now he found it endearing and strangely cute, especially the way her nose would wrinkle and the way her brown eyes would come alive.

"If you have a better idea I'm all ears, Malfoy." Hermione all but spat back. Though her retort lacked any real heat. She founds these verbal spars with the older Malfoy heir to be invigorating. When he wasn't busy being a spoiled brat, Draco Malfoy had a sharp tongue and an even sharper wit.

Draco smirked and gave her a low bow. He put his hand out. "Your hand, please?"

Hermione frowned in suspicion but placed her hand in his. He brought it to his mouth and placed a kiss on the back of it. Hermione's face lit up with a pleased flush. Draco smirked at her, a gentle yet wicked quirk of his lips before pulling her along the corridor.

"Where are we going?" Hermione questioned once she recovered.

"We're putting my better idea into action." He said.

Hermione rolled her eyes and hid an amused smile.

-(INSERT LINE HERE)-

"This is a stupid idea." Hermione said.

Three of the teenagers currently in residence at Malfoy manor sat in a sitting room on the third floor of said manor where they knew they would not be disturbed.

"If you have a better idea, I'm all ears." Draco said, mocking Hermione's earlier words.

"I said better. Key word is better. We're not doing this. _I_ am not doing this." She snapped back.

The bright young witch paced up and down the length of the shiny, wooden floor in the room. Her sole focus was Draco who stretched out across a chaise lounge like Witch Weekly centrefold. His white button down left little to the imagination as it hung open as though it was made to be worn that way. Draco silver eyes were trained on Hermione and he wore a wicked little smirk on his face as he watched her pace.

"What exactly are we not doing?" Harry asked from his place on the floor. Amusement rang clear in his voice. On the one hand he disliked the fact that Malfoy had taken an interest in Hermione. On the other hand, their interactions were so amusing it was almost enough to make Harry approve of the coupling. Almost.

He sat on a beautiful antique rug that ran from the fireplace straight to the door. Directly opposite him stood a table with a single candelabra.

The two other occupants of the room jumped. Hermione's hand flew to her chest to try and calm her beating heart.

"Harry!" She exclaimed.

"How nice of you to notice." He said, voice dry.

Hermione shot him an apologetic look, which he waved off with a mischievous grin. Draco rolled his eyes but only to hide the slight panic that had overtaken him. He had indeed had a miniature heart attack when Harry reminded them of his presence.

"Dra- Malfoy has a theory that the ring you gave Lyra could either be the legendary artefact known as the Morrigan's Ring or a ring from the collection of Nantosuelta." Hermione said.

Draco smirked at her slip of the tongue.

Harry frowned. "Why are those names familiar to me?"

Hermione lit up and Harry instantly knew he had made a mistake in asking the question. The bright young witch walked to the corner of the room and wrestled a large, dusty tome onto a nearby table. Both Harry and Draco crowded around her to see.

"I was searching through the Malfoy library for a bit of light reading, you know, something fun and I found this first issue of Hogwarts: A History. I don't know why I didn't remember it earlier." Hermione said.

Draco stared in disbelief. "This is light?"

Harry shook his head and hugged Hermione. A fond smile graced his face. "There's something wrong with you."

Hermione smiled and leaned into the hug then she pulled away, opened the book and began to quickly flip the pages.

"The names are familiar because The Morrigan or the Phantom Queen is the patron goddess of the Black family and up until the last wizard war, they worshiped her regularly." Hermione said.

Draco leaned in closer placing his face right next to Hermione's. "I've never heard of The Morrigan or the Phantom Queen."

"That's because many if not all of the rituals used to invoke her are considered dark magic now. Plus, your mother isn't a Black anymore. She wouldn't have told you anyway because she would now answer to the Malfoy patron god or goddess."

Hermione was on a roll. Her voice had taken on a lecture quality and her eyes got bright with happiness. A single ringlet of brown hair fell into her face. Unlike his sister, Draco never really fought his urges. He reach out and tucked that piece of hair back behind her ear and kept his hand on her face. Hermione looked up at him, startled with a red flush rising up her cheeks. They stared at one another.

"And what of the other one, Nan-nan?" Harry asked, ignoring the obvious flirting with a roll of his green eyes. The two startled away from one another and seemed to visibly collect themselves before Harry's words actually sunk in.

Draco let out a quick burst of laughter, almost like he was surprised to have been laughing at all. He covered his mouth and turned away. Hermione just rolled her eyes. She was used to Harry and his way of disinterest. It wasn't that he wasn't interested in the names or the stories; he simply couldn't be bothered to get the pronunciation correct. As such he didn't try and gave the goddess his own name.

"Nantosuelta, Harry. Honestly." She said.

"Yeah. That rolls right off the tongue." The dry and urbane comment was out of character for Harry and was more like Lyra. In fact, if Hermione was to be honest, both Harry and Lyra seemed to be mimicking one another, unconscientiously of course.

She shared a worried glance with Draco before she schooled her features into exasperated irritation.

"Do you want to hear the rest or not?" Hermione snapped.

Harry gave gestured for her to continue. Draco nodded as well.

"Nantosuelta is not a patron goddess. Instead when this land was still new, witches and wizards prayed to her for help with healing. From what I've read, she was gentle." Hermione said, turning back to the book on the table.

"And I'm guessing that a deity called The Phantom Queen isn't." Draco said.

"The Phantom Queen wasn't good or bad, she just was. She and Hecate are usually worshiped together. Anyway, The Morrigan was known to gift her followers with trinkets and items imbued with power but those gifts had a price. They almost always succumb to The Madness." Hermione said. "If it's one of Nantosuelta's artefacts then we have nothing to worry about. Her gifts were about healing."

"So how do we figure out what we're dealing with?" Harry asked.

Draco turned and gestured to Hermione. "We use her."

"How?" Harry asked.

"He wants me to touch the ring." Hermione said.

"And that's a bad idea because?"

"Honestly Harry, were you not paying attention?" Hermione asked.

Harry gave her a withering look. She sighed.

"We're trying to find out which artefact we're dealing with." She said.

"Okay. Still not understanding." Harry said. He gripped the rug and tried to make the action look nonchalant. His face remained passive but his grip on the carpet was vice-like.

Draco stepped in. "Most artefacts passed down through generations, especially in the most noble and ancient house of Black are protected. At least the powerful ones are."

"What kind of protection?" Harry asked. A growing sense of dread filled him.

"Some are harmless like repelling wards or charms that cause the item to slip from your fingers but others are far more dangerous even deadly." Draco said.

"And you want Hermione to put her life on the line?" Harry's voice was cold. His words were clipped. If possible, he held the rug even tighter.

"Honestly, Potter? I'd have preferred you but it wouldn't affect you or me. We both have Black blood. Yours is a bit diluted but it's still there." Draco said.

"It does affect me. I'm sure Hermione told you." Harry said. Hermione blushed. She did tell Draco but she didn't see it as a betrayal because technically, the Malfoy heir was in their little circle now.

"Yes, but not the extent that it should. Right now, it's talking to you, trying to figure out who you are and what you want." Hermione said.

Harry raised an eyebrow at her. "Sounds like you're on board with this."

"I'm not but we're just trying to figure out what's really going on here. The only other way is to tell Sirius and the Malfoys what's going on." She said.

Harry struggled with himself. Finally he said, "I don't want to tell them. I know we should and a part of me is screaming at me to tell but it's almost like I can't."

"Every time I even try to talk about it with mother and father, my tongue gets heavy and the words stick. We're going to have to figure this out on our own." Draco said.

They both turned to look at Hermione. She looked at both of them, her mind going a mile a minute trying to puzzle out everything. Finally she took a deep breath and nodded her head.

"I'll do it." She said.

Harry frowned, alarmed. Draco settled back with a satisfied smirk.

"That's still leaves a very big problem." Hermione said. "Once we figure out what it is, we're still going to need the Black library to remove it if the ring's the problem."

"We're going to need Sirius' help but I can't ask him." Harry said.

"One step at a time, Potter." Draco said.

"Right. Let's find Lyra and get this over with." Hermione said.

-(INSERT LINE HERE)-

The little group found Lyra out on the same balcony that Draco had left her on. They all felt a chill run up their spines. Lyra sat surrounded by an unkindness of ravens and a large one at that. The black birds were everywhere and seemed to watch them with open hostility as they moved towards the younger girl.

"Lyra?" Hermione called, being the braver of the bunch.

It was like the young witch couldn't hear them. She sat with her palms up. A large raven stood perched in her hands and she and the bird gazed at one another as though having a silent conversation.

"Lyra?" Hermione called again, this time a little louder.

The raven in Lyra's palms took off with a rush of feathers. Lyra watched it fly away. The other birds seemed content to stay and watch. Once the bird was out of sight, Lyra turned back to the group of young people and regarded each of them in turn, saving Harry for last.

When she got to the-boy-who-lived, the ring around her neck seemed to come to life; it glistened and sparkled like it was something more. Harry moved towards Lyra as though pulled by a string. Draco put a hand on Harry's chest to stop his movement and just like that, it was like a spell had been broken and the ring was back to being a normal ring. Lyra blinked and smiled, a gentle upturn of the lips. The ravens all flew away.

"Where have you all been?" she asked.

Draco and Hermione glanced at one another. A cold sweat ran down their necks.

"The library." Hermione said.

"I believe if you could, you'd marry a library." Lyra said a wicked little laugh.

Hermione blushed but Lyra smiled at her to let her know she was only joking. But Hermione couldn't really fault the younger girl for the comment. Hermione was a bibliophile.

Draco gave Hermione a pointed look. Hermione sighed.

"Lyra," she said. "May I see your necklace?"

Lyra reached up and grasped hold of the chain around her neck and make to lift it off her herself then stopped. She sat, frozen with her hands on the silver chain, the ring dangling off of it.

She looked up at the group. "I don't think I want to take it off."

There was a peculiar look on her face, something akin to a combination of confusion, satisfaction and fear.

"Why don't I want to take it off?" she asked, not really expecting an answer.

Hermione strode forwards and grasped the ring. It shone with and angry red light as though it didn't wish to be touched. The distant sound of flapping wings and agitated birds filled the air. Hermione pulled at the chain and then cried out in pain. The necklace didn't budge from all of her tugging but the smell of burnt flesh was strong. Both Harry and Draco ran to her. Hermione dropped the ring, clutched at her hand and dropped to her knees. On the inside of her palm was a large perfectly circular burn mark, no bigger than the ring itself.

She turned to Draco. "That answers that."

Her voice was tense with pain. Neither Harry nor Draco looked particularly happy

Lyra came closer to Hermione. "Why would you do that?"

Hermione flinched a little. Lyra moved back. Hermione gave the younger girl and apologetic look. Lyra shook her head. Hermione sat up. She and Draco took turns explaining the goings on of the last couple days including the ring talking to Harry.

Lyra frowned. "The ring talks to me too. It's like an old friend that knows me very well but I can't seem to remember them."

She clutched the ring and gazed down at it as it sat innocently in the palm of her hand. She looked up at her brother and the two people she had grudgingly began to call friends.

"What do we do now?" she asked.

This time, the three older wizards shared glances.

"We were sort of hoping that you would tell us." Draco said.

Harry picked up Hermione's hand, ignored her wince and examined the mark.

Lyra turned away from them. She twirled her hair around her finger and worried at her bottom lip. The she abruptly moved past the others, headed towards the doors.

"Where are you going?" Draco asked.

"Library." Lyra responded without turning back.

"We've already been through the library. We didn't find anything." Hermione said.

"You haven't been through mine." Lyra called back. She disappeared through the double doors and into the manor.

Draco snatched Hermione's hand from Harry, removed his shirt and wrapped her hand in it. The two stared at each other for a long time.

Harry rolled his eyes, got up and followed behind Lyra.


	21. Chapter 21

Harry found Lyra in her room, pulling books from her trunk. The trunk sat on the bed. Half of the young witch's body was in the trunk while her feet dangled in the air. Despite the issues they'd been having lately, Harry found himself strangely charmed by the sight.

"If you're going be here, the least you could do is help me." Lyra said

Harry felt the anger roil in his stomach but he quashed it down in favour of going to Lyra and taking the books she handed him while still head first in the trunk.

"Thanks." She said.

Harry preened a little.

"What are you looking for?" he asked.

"I had a book on the Black family magic but I can't seem to remember where I put it."

Harry admired her legs and grabbed more books as she waived them in the air for him.

"Why would the book be in your trunk?" Harry asked.

"What my parents don't know won't hurt them." She answered.

Harry rolled his eyes but in some ways, he understood. Adults could do a lot of damage under the guise of protecting you. At the same time, Lyra's way of thinking seemed to be so terribly involved and unnecessarily complicated.

He sighed. "Must you keep secrets from everyone?"

"I'm a Malfoy." She said as though that answered everything. It didn't but Harry knew better than to argue with her. He would get angry due to the influence of the ring and she would become even more waspish and mean spirited which would lead him to get even angrier and the cycle would just continue until one of them walked away. Then they wouldn't talk to one another until either Draco or Hermione pushed them together or one of the adults, either Narcissa or Sirius, noticed something off and they had to pretend for the sake of pretending. No matter what, it was tedious and often times completely avoidable.

"Of course you are." Harry said.

Lyra popped up from the trunk, in her hands a black box with silver markings. She handed it to Harry.

"Happy Birthday." She said.

Harry put down the books he was holding and took the box, confused.

"I know you said you didn't want to make a big fuss about your birthday and I know my mother isn't going to listen and knowing what I know of cousin Sirius, he's just going to encourage her. So, I thought that I would give you this before the chaos starts." She continued.

"Thanks." He said. Lyra rolled her eyes.

"Open it."

He did. Inside the box was a silver locket with the letters 'HJP' engraved on it. Harry took hold of the locket and opened it. Inside was a picture of his mother and father holding him. Tears came, unbidden, to his eyes. Harry stroked the picture and allowed the tears to fall. He closed the locket, clenched it in his fist and looked at Lyra.

She smiled at him, a gentle tilt of her lips. It was the softest expression he had ever seen on her face. "I figured you'd like that."

Harry surged forward and kissed Lyra on the lips. It was nowhere near as chaste as the first time they locked lips. Instead, this was raw and hungry. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. She reciprocated and wrapped her arms around his neck, ring on full display. It sang between then and shone with a dark but soothing light.

Her small hands carded through his messy locks and Harry's hand tightened around her waist and strayed a little lower. The ring sang louder, it's joyous song echoing in both magic users heads, urging them yet closer.

Then it was over. Draco and Hermione bursts into the room and the song came to an abrupt end. Harry and Lyra pulled away from one another. Harry dropped like a stone. Hermione, with her hand still wrapped in Draco's shirt, rushed over to the fallen wizard. Lyra swayed on her feet. Draco strode over to steady her.

"What was that?" Hermione asked. Harry still lay where he fell. She cradled his head in her lap.

Lyra held her head. "Did you hear the song too?"

Draco nodded but Hermione shook her head.

"I couldn't hear the whole thing. It was distant, like an echo with some parts missing." Hermione said.

"How is no one else here?" Draco questioned.

"Maybe we're the only ones that heard it." Hermione said.

Harry groaned but didn't wake up. Hermione stroked his forehead.

Lyra took a deep breath. "Right. We need to get access to the Black library."

She was still woozy but as she stood gathering herself, she caught the look that Draco and Hermione gave each other.

"Right. What am I missing?" she asked.

Hermione spoke up. "We tried to get Sirius to give us access to the library but he refused."

Instead of looking at Hermione, Lyra fixed Draco with a look.

"Sneaky you." She said.

Draco didn't look the least bit sorry or ashamed.

"I do what I can." He said.

"What?" Hermione asked.

"Draco knows that I'm very good at getting people to do what I want." Lyra said.

Hermione nodded. "Scary good."

"So, what better way to get Sirius to give you guys access to the library than to have me get him to do it?" Lyra asked.

"That all seems terribly involved." Hermione said, unknowingly echoing Harry.

"We're Malfoys." Draco said.

"Can't you for once simply ask and see if you get what you want?" Hermione asked.

Draco snorted. "Where's the fun in that? Besides, how'd that work out for you?"

Hermione scowled at him. Draco smirked back, a challenge in his eyes. Lyra watched the two with interest. While she wasn't one for matchmaking, she did enjoy watching two people match wits. It was always interesting watching Draco and Hermione go at one another. Yes Hermione was more intelligent. She was simply the brightest witch of the current age but Draco was sly and cunning. Hermione was a stickler for rules and Draco always had an angle. He was always trying to get around the rules and she was always trying to follow them. When the two of them butted heads, it made for a ton of entertainment.

"And you didn't think to tell me, your plan?" Hermione said.

Draco shrugged. "Why? It worked and we're here."

Lyra could watch the two of them go at it all day but they didn't have the time.

"That's enough of that, you two. Flirt on your own time. Hermione, you and I are going shopping with Mother." Lyra said.

Hermione frowned. "I thought we were trying to convince Sirius to take us to the Black library."

"Do keep up, Hermione dear. That's exactly what we're doing." Lyra said.

Draco snorted.

"Sneaky you." He said to Lyra.

"I try."

"Now why I didn't I think of that?"

"Because you don't like shopping with mother."

"Can you explain for those of us who aren't Malfoys? What does shopping have to do with getting to the library?" Hermione asked.

Lyra sighed. "Cousin Sirius won't take me seriously but he will listen to mother."

Hermione grinned, having finally caught on. "You're going to get your mother to ask."

Lyra shook her head. "Darling. Malfoys never ask."

-(INSERT LINE HERE)-

The next day, the day of Harry's birthday found Lyra and Hermione tagging along with Narcissa Malfoy as she shopped for last minute items for the 'surprise' party for Harry.

"I thought your mother wasn't going to throw a party for him. Harry said he didn't want one." Hermione whispered to Lyra.

"Have you not been paying attention? My mother tends to do what she wants." Lyra whispered back.

"Harry's not going to be happy about this."

"No, I don't suppose he will be. But I think I'll enjoy the gifts."

"What?" Hermione asked.

"Watch and learn, Hermione." Lyra said.

She turned away from Hermione and went over to Narcissa. The older witch stood comparing fabrics, one a shimmering gold and the other a deep, dark wine red. Beside Narcissa, a portly man with a bald plate and glasses stood wringing his hands and hopping from foot to foot.

Narcissa heard her approach and looked up. She smiled, a simply crinkling of her eyes, and the rotund shopkeeper all but fainted.

"Angel? Which do you like more, the gold or the red?" Narcissa asked.

"That red will go perfectly with the silver accents in the main ballroom." Lyra said.

Narcissa nodded and handed the fabric to the recovering shopkeeper. He gathered it in his arms and ran away.

They were all in a small fabric shop in Diagon Alley. Narcissa walked around.

"Alright dear, what do you want?"

"Can't I simply want to spend time with my darling mother?" Lyra asked.

Narcissa stepped forward and tucked one of Lyra's curls behind her ear.

"Your wants are far from simple." Narcissa said as she regarded her only daughter. She was being manipulated and she knew it. She knew that Lyra knew that she knew as well. She allowed Lyra her machinations up to a point and Lyra knew where that point was. She often skirted the line but very rarely did she cross it.

"This time it isn't for me. It's for Harry and Hermione." Lyra said.

Narcissa knew her daughter and the older witch could spot a lie of omission a mile away. Still, Lyra hadn't reached the point yet so Narcissa allowed her the lie.

"I see." Narcissa said. She glanced at Hermione who was fingering different fabrics. At first she found the idea of having a muggle-born in her home distasteful but it seemed that Lyra was a civilizing influence on the girl. And, while her manners could use a bit of refining, Hermione Granger was quickly earning Narcissa Malfoy's respect.

"I figured it would be a great birthday present. After all, Harry's grandmother was a Black. And he is heir apparent to the Black fortune." Lyra said.

"I see." Narcissa said again. Lyra gave her an angelic grin.

Narcissa turned away from Lyra. The younger witch and Hermione exchanged looks. Lyra was confident that Narcissa would do what she wanted no questions asked.

-(INSERT LINE HERE)-

Harry hated parties. He also hated to be the centre of attention. He knew on some level he should be grateful to Narcissa Malfoy for caring enough to throw him a party but he couldn't help the scowl that threatened to overtake his face.

Lucius had been smart and pleaded out of the party stating that he had other business to attend to. In fact, he wasn't even in the manor. Still, there was one bit of solace for Harry and that was that Draco seemed to be just as miserable as he was.

The blond didn't war with a scowl like Harry did. Instead it was a look of displeased detachment.

"It's just a party, Malfoy." Harry said.

"I'm not overly fond of parties and I don't particularly like the person that this one centres around." Draco sneered back.

But Harry, having been in close proximity to the snarky blond for the better part of the summer, simply grinned and nudged him with a shoulder.

"I've grown on you."

Draco snorted. "Like a fungus."

Harry looked out at the thankfully small gathering of people. Harry had put his foot down. He didn't want a part at all but since Narcissa was insistent and Sirius wasn't going to come to his aid, Harry agreed on the condition that it be a small intimate gathering of his closest friends and the people he viewed as allies.

Narcissa wanted a large and lavish event, partially because of the optics of it being the saviour's birthday and partially because she loved large, lavish events. Eventually Narcissa agreed and while still a lavish event, it was nowhere near as large as the older witch wanted and that suited Harry just fine.

-(INSERT LINE HERE)-

"He doesn't look very happy, does he?" Narcissa asked Sirius as they stood off to one corner of the room.

The ballroom was impeccable. Instead of live music, Narcissa charmed the very air to play sweet melody that echoed throughout the room. The silver and blood red draping meshed well with the bronze and silver fixtures in the room as well as the dark greens and blacks that decorated the floor and the furniture.

"From what little I know of him, he loathes being the centre of attention." Sirius said.

"I really don't understand why. The boy was born for greatness." Narcissa said. Her eagle eyes watched Harry and Draco interact. Despite his vehement denial, Narcissa knew that her son was forming a friendship of sort with the young saviour and Narcissa wasn't mad about it. In fact, she was delighted. She had heard about and seen for herself just how protective he could be when it came to his friends and she was thrilled that her children were on the list.

"Well, greatness is as greatness does. He is constantly thrown into situations that he is ill prepared for and praised because he's simply lucky to be alive when all he really wants is to learn magic and be just Harry."

"I suppose. There are tools that he can use to fight back at his disposal."

"Oh?"

"He is the Boy-Who-Lived. Descended from two noble houses. And while that might not mean much to you, Sirius Black, there are those who would gladly assist the child; even if it is only out of some misguided sense of guilt and gratitude." Narcissa said.

Sirius turned to her fully but the crafty witch kept her eyes on the ballroom.

"I might be the black sheep of the family and blight on the name but I am still a Black. What do you want, cousin?" Sirius asked.

"Allow the children access to the library." Narcissa said.

Sirius' face hardened. Narcissa ignored it, instead choosing to scan the small gathering once more. Of course the Lovegood girl was there as was the Longbottom boy but there were a few others that shocked her. The Abbot girl was a surprise as well as Amelia Bones and her niece Susan. It would seem that Harry Potter was slowly but surely gathering friends in high places.

"Children have no need of what's in that library." Sirius said.

Narcissa snorted delicately. "They wont be children for much longer, cousin. And I suspect that they want to know more about that ring."

Sirius went quiet.

"Why wouldn't Harry come to me?" He whispered, sounding quite hurt.

Finally Narcissa turned to him. She laughed and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"I highly doubt that the boy was involved in this or if he is, my son and daughter have threatened him. No. I believe this is idle curiosity of a distinctly Malfoy nature." She said.

"Tell me truthfully, dear cousin. Do you think Harry trusts me?" Sirius asked.

"I believe that if could come to you for anything, he would. I believe that there are things about him that you know that the Granger girl doesn't even know. He put everything on the line to get you out of Azkaban. He trusts you." She answered.

And Narcissa Malfoy nee Black sounded sure but she wasn't. She knew her children too well. They had something planned and had somehow roped Potter and the Granger girl into it.

"Still," She continued. "It doesn't hurt to be absolutely sure."

"Meaning?"

"They cannot go to that house by themselves. It is dangerous. They will of course need chaperones."

Sirius readily agreed. Narcissa had an ulterior motive. She loved her children and she was intimately aware of the penchant Malfoy's had for getting in over their head and mistakenly thinking that they were in control of the situation. No, she would go and make sure that they didn't get into anything dangerous.


	22. Chapter 22

**:AN: Greetings all! We lost the election but the good news is that I can now get back to writing. So, the language used in this part of the story is Old English. I regret using it because it's not fun to translate. I have to go word by word so it's tedious. How ever, if you've paid attention to the hints I've dropped then you know why it makes sense. I'm really happy with this story and I'm glad that you guys like it. Thank you all for your support and don't stop reviewing. I enjoy hearing what you guys think of the story and the twists. Thanks! :AN:**

 **-(INSERT LINE HERE)-**

When Harry woke up on the day scheduled for his birthday party, he felt numb. Not despondent but like his body wasn't wholly his; as though there was another presence sitting just underneath the surface.

The whispers were quiet, like they were waiting for something. Then he felt it. A cool, calming touch on his forehead. He looked around but there was no one in the room. The touch lingered before a voice whispered. At first he couldn't understand what was being said.

"Ic ábíede þu, min byre." She said. _(I greet thee, my child.)_

Harry couldn't tell it was female even though he couldn't understand her. He felt safe even though he couldn't see anyone.

"Ic cume innan fréod. Ic mæne þu náht bealu." The voice continued. _(I come in peace. I mean you no harm.)_

Harry shook his head. "I don't understand."

Then came the sound of rushing feathers and a gentle but cold press of lips against his own. Harry felt like he was being drained. Something was flowing out of him and into the woman that was kissing him. The kiss was brief and nothing like the two he had shared with Lyra. It was a simple press of lips and nothing more.

"And now, my child?" the voice asked.

The voice was soothing and lyrical but held a hint of an accent both familiar and strange at the same time. The presence felt like home. Harry of course knew it wasn't his mother, but the woman felt motherly yet cold, like Narcissa Malfoy.

"I wish I could see you." Harry said.

An unseen hand ran through Harry's messy locks.

"You do not need to see me. You know me."

"The ring."

"Yes and no, my child."

"Who are you? I want to see you." Harry asked.

There was a laugh and another rush of feathers. The cold hand traced the scar on his head.

"It has been long since I moved in this world. I fear that you would not understand. Know that you will understand soon enough." She said.

Harry felt the presence moving away.

"Wait!"

It stopped.

"Why me?" Harry asked.

Harry got the distinct impression that the presence was smiling.

"My sons have awakened me and my daughters have set me free."

Then the presence settled around him like a cool, comforting cloak and embraced him like a mother does a child.

"Stop fighting me. You are strong, Harry Potter. And you will need that strength, especially with the charming little Black girl. Do not bow to her. She needs someone to challenge her."

Harry knew almost instantly that she was speaking about Lyra.

"Lyra's a Malfoy."

The sound of feathers came again. "She is and yet here I am."

Then she was gone and Harry was left alone in his room at Malfoy manor.

-(INSERT LINE HERE)-

Harry never told anyone, not even Lyra or Hermione about what had happened just after he woke up. Now he stood next to Draco watching Narcissa and Sirius. Hermione had filled him in on Lyra's plan. Well, what she knew of it anyway. Honestly, Malfoy's were a tiresome bunch. They were always scheming and conniving even against each other.

"I wonder what they're talking about." Harry said.

"Knowing Lyra, she's probably convinced mother to go along with our plan." Draco said.

Harry snorted. "Our plan? Allowing the chips to fall where they may and hoping for the best is not a plan, Malfoy."

"I do not appreciate being mocked by someone who fainted after a single kiss." Draco said.

"And exactly how many people have you kissed?"

"Why? Fancy adding your name to the list, do you?"

But, Harry didn't answer. Instead both his attention and his breath were stolen by Lyra and Hermione's entrance. Both young women entered the ballroom in lovely gowns.

Lyra's gown was a deep red so red that it almost looked black. It was off the shoulder and had a plunging neckline that reached the very top of her flat and toned stomach. The sleeves were belled and along with the ring that Harry had given her, an ornate silver jewelled choker rested on her throat. The dress hugged every curve and like the sleeves, belled and flared at the bottom, almost crawling along the floor.

Draco turned to Harry and bumped him to get his attention. Harry reached up, without looking and turned Draco's face to the ballroom entrance. The sight stole his attention and breath as well.

Hermione's gown was a soft and ethereal blue. It went straight down and brushed the floor as she walked. Her hair was up and away from her face. The gown fit tight against her body and had three-quarter sleeves. The neckline sat just under her slender neck and exposed her collarbones. She turned to say something to Lyra, exposing her back for Draco to peruse to his delight. Her back was bare of cloth of any kind. The dress covered her hips and butt but left next to nothing to the imagination.

Neither young wizard knew whether to happy or to rush over to cover them up. Lyra spotted them before they could make up their minds. She nudged Hermione and gestured towards them. The girls came over.

"Enjoying your party?" Lyra asked.

Before Harry could stop himself, his mouth ran away with the rest of him. "What are you wearing?"

"It's a dress." Lyra said. There was a set of her jaw and a narrowing of her eyes that told him to quit while he was ahead. But armed with the assurance of the presence in the ring and never being one to back down from a challenge, Harry felt it was alright to poke the bear.

Meanwhile, neither Draco nor Hermione greeted one other. Hermione because she was busy watching the scene unfold with Harry and Lyra, and Draco because he was busy watching Hermione.

Harry gave Lyra a deliberate once over. "I suppose."

Lyra narrowed her eyes further and opened her mouth. Hermione stepped in. Now that she had seen it for herself, she could admit that Harry was changing. Harry never picked fights, now here he was deliberately picking at Lyra who could spit more venom than her brother could and Draco could be hurtful when he wanted to be.

"Your mother throws a lovely party." Hermione said.

Lyra's eyes were on Harry. She was not pleased but she answered Hermione anyway.

"Mother loves any excuse to throw a party and it makes her happy."

Hermione frowned. Then her eyes lit up. "What spell did she use for the music? It's fascinating."

Lyra finally turned to the older witch, fully aware of what she was trying to do. She smiled, just the barest upward movement of her lips to let Hermione know that her efforts were appreciated.

"I rather think it's a combination of several spells. Mother is the epitome of a Pure Blood lady." Lyra's words were half mocking.

She led Hermione away.

Draco watched Hermione walk away. Once she disappeared amongst the other guests, he turned to Harry with a frown.

"Why do you insist on poking at my sister? I thought you liked her."

Harry's face lit up with a deep red blush. He swallowed. "What ever do you mean?"

It was such a perfect imitation of Lyra that Draco snorted out an indelicate laugh.

"Look, Potter. I don't much care for you with my sister. She deserves better. But, she chose you so if you harm her in anyway, Golden Boy or not, you will regret it."

Harry's blush faded. He raised an eyebrow. "I could say the same thing to you but Hermione hasn't really chosen you yet, has she?"

Draco scowled. "She'll fall for me eventually. They all do."

Normally, Harry would be offended on Hermione's behalf. However, he recognized that Hermione could take care of herself and even though she never said anything to him, he could see the attraction she had for the Malfoy heir. Hermione was headstrong, intelligent and perfectly capable of taking care of herself. She didn't need Harry to ride into her rescue. Not anymore. Still, that didn't mean he couldn't threaten Malfoy if he was simply playing a game.

It was Harry's turn to snort. "Malfoy or not, if you hurt her, I will throw the entire weight of The-Boy-Who-Lived at you and we'll see how well the Malfoy name stands up."

He smiled, bright and sunny as though he didn't just threaten someone. Draco raised an eyebrow.

"I'm impressed, Potter. Time away from the Weasel has done you good. I give it an eight out of ten for creativity." Draco said.

And just like that, the tension was broken and the two became semi amicable once again.

-(INSERT LINE HERE)-

A week later found Lyra, Hermione, Harry, Draco, Sirius and Narcissa taking the trek to the Black ancestral home. It was a grand place with a dreary and depressing feel. For the most part it was well taken care of but nothing could dampen the feeling of foreboding surrounding the large, creepy manor.

Lyra eyed the building and glanced at her mother.

 _(AN: I have a specific vision in my head of the way I want the Black Ancestral home to look. It is not going to resemble the films or the books so please bear with me. AN)_

The manor stood on a hill surrounded by miles of nothing but dense forest. Curiously, around the manor itself, on the very top of the hill, nothing grew. It was desolate. One could even use the term barren.

Large, high walls that obscured everything but the weather-beaten, clay shingles surrounded the grounds. A single iron wrought gate stood guarded by two stone gargoyles on either side. Cobblestones in black and grey tones littered the path from the apparition point.

As the group walked up to the gate, Lyra felt like she was coming home. One of the gargoyles, distinctly serpentine in its appearance, jumped awaked and spoke.

"Blood be coin to enter here." The voice that came from the stone was dry and grating. It broke and warbled from disuse.

The other gargoyle was more creature than anything resembling a giant bat. It creaked and cracked as it moved. The bat sat up taller and stretched out its wings, opening its mouth to expose sharp, rust coloured, stone teeth. It settled with its mouth open wide enough to fit an arm. The serpentine gargoyle opened its mouth as well. Just like the bat, the serpentine gargoyle wriggled and stretched, creaking and cracking with bits of stone and dust flaking and falling off. It settled with its mouth open, the space just large enough for a human arm.

"This place brings back such pleasant memories." Narcissa remarked dryly.

Sirius stared at the gates. It wasn't so much trepidation as it was the fact that he never really felt like the manor was his home. He hated it. More than anything, his home was with James Potter, his brother from another mother.

"I never wanted to come back here." Sirius said. His voice was quiet.

-(INSERT LINE HERE)-

The younger witches and wizards stood away from the gates. They couldn't hear Narcissa or Sirius but they did hear the gargoyle when it spoke.

"What does blood being coin mean?" Harry asked.

"Well, you know that the Black family motto is Toujours Pur." Lyra said.

Harry nodded. Hermione frowned. Even Draco had started to get a little green in the face.

Lyra continued. "There is a reason for the term Pure Blood. The only way for us to get into the manor is for Mother and Cousin Sirius to prove that they are of Black blood."

Hermione swallowed. "Will we all have to do it?"

Lyra shook her head. "No. You'd likely lose and arm. I'm not sure about our resident Golden Boy. Though it is likely that his blood is too diluted for him to pass."

"Diluted?" Harry asked.

"Relax, oh Saviour. I'm talking about the fact that your grandmother was a Black. I think the blood might be too far down your genealogy pool."

"But it's just his grandmother. That's only two generations." Hermione said.

"Sirius' mother, Walburga Black, married her younger first cousin in order to keep the Black line pure. Personally I wouldn't risk two generations." Draco said.

Hermione turned to him. "Well, what about you and Lyra? Aren't you only half Black?"

"Yes but Mother is a Black and Father is a Pure Blood. Technically, we're still pure." Draco didn't say it to spite Hermione. He simply stated a fact.

Hermione didn't take well to this. She scowled.

"And my blood's dirty, is that it?"

Now, normally it would be Lyra who stepped in to soothe any ruffled feathers. She was more of a diplomat than Draco. Surprisingly, it was Draco who responded first.

"You're a muggle born, yes. But you're at least trying to learn our history and our culture. I can't really call you a mudblood anymore now can I?"

Draco gifted her with a small but genuine smile. Not a smirk, but a smile that lit up his silver eyes and made them sparkle. Hermione stared at his eyes for a time, caught herself, tucked her hair behind her ear, looked away and blushed. Draco let out small, pleased sounding laugh making Hermione blush harder.

Lyra watched the two interact with eager eyes. The ring sitting on her chest glowed with a warm, pleased and dark light. It was a soft glow. A large raven swooped overhead but didn't land. Instead it stayed circling above the group of young wizards.

Harry watched Lyra. He watched the ring glow and felt a warmth in the pit of his stomach. He felt an urge to wrap his arms around Lyra and hold her. He resisted the urge and the ring seemed to almost chastise him for not giving in.

He shook his head.

-(INSERT LINE HERE)-

Sirius rolled up is sleeve to the elbow and placed his arm into the mouth of the serpentine gargoyle. He felt around for a bit before feeling a sharp metal spike and pressing his forefinger hard enough to the spike to draw blood. He turned to watch Narcissa do the same to the bat-like gargoyle.

They waited and waited and waited some more. Then with a loud, creaky groan, the iron gates swung open. The two adults removed their arms. Narcissa performed healing charms on both of them because Sirius still wasn't allowed the use of his wand.

When the entire group was inside the gates, they swung close and the gargoyles went back to sleep.


End file.
